An appeals court has ordered that Jussie Smollett be released from jail while he appeals his conviction on charges that he lied to police about a racist and homophobic attack.
Smollett’s attorneys had argued that he would have completed the sentence by the time the appeal process was completed and that Smollett could be in danger of physical harm if he remained locked up in Cook County Jail.
Deputy special prosecutor Sean Wieber also questioned the idea of releasing Smollett because his sentence will be complete prior to an appellate court ruling, saying that under that logic every person facing a sentence shorter than a few years would be able to remain free.
A jury convicted Smollett in December on five felony counts of disorderly conduct — the charge filed when a person lies to police. He was acquitted on a sixth count.
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