Jussie Smollett’s brother, Jocqui Smollett, claims the recently convicted “Empire” star has been unfairly deemed at risk of self-harm by jail officials in Cook County, Illinois and moved to a psych ward as he begins his five-month sentence.
Jocqui called the decision to isolate his brother “angering,” and reiterated Jussie’s assertions of innocence made at his sentencing hearing.
“What’s very concerning is that there was a note attached to his paperwork today and clipped on the front of his jail cell saying that he’s at risk of self-harm,” Jocqui said Saturday in an Instagram video posted to the actor’s account.
“I want to just make it clear to folks that he is in no way, shape or form at risk of self-harm,” Jocqui added. “He wants to let folks know that, that he is very stable, he is very strong, he is very healthy and ready to take on the challenge that ultimately has been put up against him.”
He continued, “This is not right. This is completely, a lack of justice. It’s angering. It’s an outrage.”
On Thursday, Jussie Smollett, 39, was sentenced to 150 days in jail after being found guilty on five counts of disorderly conduct for making false claims to Chicago police that he was verbally and physically assaulted by two men in January 2019. An investigation led to Smollett being accused of staging the incident by paying two brothers to attack him.
During the sentencing hearing, Smollett repeatedly asserted that he “is not suicidal” and that if he suffers any harm during his sentence, “I did not do it to myself.”
TheWrap has reached out to Cook County Jail for comment.
