Following the sentencing, Smollett’s siblings rallied to his defense. His brother, Jojo Smollett, expressed his disappointment with the judge to reporters in a news conference.

“He shamed my brother. He spoke about his arrogance,” Jojo said, according to CNN. “He doesn’t know the struggles my brother is encountering. He doesn’t know anything that he’s dealing with.”

Jazz Smollett, the actor’s sister, joined in, adding, “My brother is innocent.”

“This should not be a controversial statement because it is the absolute truth,” she said, CNN reports.

On Jan. 29, 2019, Smollett said two men attacked him and put a rope around his neck while pouring a chemical substance on him and spewing racist and homophobic slurs. Smollett alleges that the men said they were in “MAGA country,” a nod to former President Donald Trump’s campaign slogan.

Brothers Abimbola and Olabingo Osundairo testified in court that Smollett paid them $3,500 to stage the attack. Smollett refuted their accusations and said the funds were compensation for workout and meal plans.

Special prosecutor Dan Webb proposed that Smollett serve prison time. However, letters from celebrities such as actors Samuel L. Jackson, Alfre Woodard and Rev. Jesse Jackson were read in the court, pleading for the judge to show leniency.

Smollett’s legal team asked the judge to dismiss the actor’s conviction, which the magistrate denied.

“I do believe at the end of the day that Mr. Smollett received a fair trial,” Linn said, according to the Daily News.

Special prosecutor Webb argued that Smollett misused police resources when he filed a false police report.

“Besides being against the law, it is just plain wrong to outright denigrate something as serious as a real hate crime and then make sure it involved words and symbols that have such historical significance in our country,” Webb said, according to the Daily News.

Chicago-Illinois

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