In the latest Jussie Smollett news, the actor was released from jail on Wednesday after posting a $150,000 bond pending an appeal of his conviction on charges of lying to police about a racist and homophobic attack, the New York Daily News.
As EBONY previously reported, Smollett was sentenced to serve 150 days in jail after being found guilty of a five-felony-counts disorderly conduct conviction.
An Illinois Appellate Court released a one-page order of their 2-1 decision that granted the motion for a stay of Smollett's sentence. The Empire actor’s legal team argued that he would possibly be subject to physical danger while serving time in Cook County Jail. Interestingly enough, the process of appealing the conviction could last longer than the sentence itself they said.
Defense attorney Nenye Uche told the media that over the 6 days Smollett was detained in jail, he only drank water and did not eat any food.
After an appeal was initially denied by the sentencing judge last week, the defense team sought to set Smollett free while his appeal on five felony convictions is pending.
During his 6-day stint in jail, his sister Jurnee Smollett, Taraji P. Henson, Indya Moore, and others made public pleas for his release while asking if he could be placed in protective custody.
According to his brother, Smollett later was moved to the psychiatric ward before he was released.
