Jussie Smollett to be placed in protective custody during 150-day jail sentence

The judge in the Jussie Smollett trial has granted his attorneys’ request to place Smollett in protective custody during his 150 day sentence at Cook County Jail. 

While Smollett’s low-level felony convictions will likely see the former “Empire” star serving much less than the full 150 days, he will be placed in a cell by himself, with security cameras and a guard wearing a body camera 24 hours a day.

He will also be given plenty of time out of his cell where he will not come into contact with other inmates for fear of his personal safety.

“These protocols are routinely used for individuals ordered into protective custody who may potentially be at risk of harm due to the nature of their charges, their profession, or their noteworthy status,” the Cook County Sheriff’s Department wrote in a statement.

Smollett was sentenced to jail time as well as 30 months of probation and over a hundred thousand dollars in fines when he was found guilty of staging a hate crime against himself and misusing public resources for a phony investigation.