I am innocent, and I am not suicidal. If I did this, then it means that I stuck my fist in the fears of Black Americans in this country for over 400 years and the fears of the LGBT community. Your honor, I respect you and I respect the jury. But I did not do this, and I am not suicidal — and if anything happens to me when I go in there, I did not do it to myself. And you must all know that.
Jussie Smollett, upon being sentenced to jail time (as well as $120,106 restitution to the city of Chicago and a $25,000 fine) on March 10, 2022.
Prior to his court-exiting outbursts, the judge had said:
Let me tell you Mr. Smollett, I know that there is nothing that I will do here today that can come close to the damage you’ve already done to your own life. You’ve turned your life upside down by your misconduct and shenanigans, you’ve destroyed your life as you knew it, and there’s nothing that any sentencing judge could do to you that can compare to the damage you’ve already caused yourself.
You’re just a charlatan pretending to be a victim of a hate crime, and that’s shameful.
Judge James Linn, in the sentencing hearing of Jussie Smollett, March 10, 2022.