Jussie Smollett Indicted on 16 Felony Counts
Addison Herron-Wheeler is OUT FRONT's co-publisher and editor-in-chief and friend…
I know we promised to be done with the Jussie Smollett saga, but for closure’s sake, it’s worth reporting that he was indicted on 16 felony counts by a Chicago grand jury.
There are two seperate sets of charges, the first relating to his initial testimony to police, and the second resulting from his second interview with authorities. At best, he will get probation, and at worst, up to 64 years in prison, as each count carries up to four years’ prison time.
He is due back in court on March 14 to face these charges. While some are claiming this sentence is too long, it is believed he will probably strike a plea deal and avoid prison time. Still, many feel that there is a racial slant to this sentencing.
If your first thought about Jussie Smollett is “he shouldn’t have lied” as opposed to failing to recognize 16 felony charges is punitive and disparately applied to Black people, then you are indeed the problem of the criminal justice system.
— Preston Mitchum (@PrestonMitchum) March 9, 2019
Whether you are rejoicing justice being done, angry about the sentence, or just appalled that he lied in the first place, at the very least we can say that this saga is wrapping up and he will be out of the spotlight.
In the meantime, the queer hivemind is already contemplating who could replace him on Empire.
5 actors who could replace Jussie Smollett on ‘Empire’ – More at: https://t.co/OsCNyBe0vD pic.twitter.com/AiJKfObMSe
— Queerty (@Queerty) March 10, 2019
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Addison Herron-Wheeler is OUT FRONT's co-publisher and editor-in-chief and friend to dogs everywhere. She enjoys long walks in the darkness away from any sources of sunlight, rainy days, and painfully dry comedy. She also covers cannabis and heavy metal, and is author of Wicked Woman: Women in Metal from the 1960s to Now and Respirator, a short story collection.