Lawyers for Jussie Smollett have asked an appeals court to release the former “Empire” actor from jail while he attempts to overturn his conviction for faking a hate crime.
Smollett on Thursday began a five-month stint in Cook County Jail, where his lawyers say he is being held in a “psych ward,” and that “paperwork” on his cell door indicates he is at risk of self harm, according to a news release from Smollett’s legal team. He will likely serve only half the 150-day sentence, as his jail term is eligible for “day-for-day” credit for good behavior.
