Jussie Smollett sentenced probation jail for faking hate crime

Jussie Smollett speaks to Judge James Linn after his sentence is read on 10 March. Photograph: Brian Cassella/AP

What is this article about? Why is it in the media:

The article is about the actor Jussie Smollett being sentenced to jail time for faking a hate crime.

Where did you find out about this article? What media organizations did you access:

Were a range of opinions presented: NO

Was the issue predominately presented positively or negatively? NEGATIVE

What were some of the opinions provided in the news story?

[Jussie Smollett’s] case took an unexpected turn in spring 2019 when the Cook County state's attorney's office dropped a 16-count indictment against him in exchange for Smollett forfeiting his $US10,000 bond without admitting wrongdoing.
The dismissal drew criticism from then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago's police superintendent, who called the reversal a miscarriage of justice.

What is your opinion on the article? Why:

The article was rather short, and it could have included more details of how the court case went as well as other people’s, whether that be Smollett’s close ones or people that were interested in the case, opinions.
The article reads rather matter-of-factly, and includes little to no opinion from the writer nor anyone else’s.

What is this article about? Why is it in the media:

The article is about actor Jussie Smollett being sentenced to 150 days in jail for lying to the police about a fake hate crime.

Where did you find out about this article? What media organizations did you access:

I found out about this article through accessing the Guardian media organization.

Were a range of opinions presented: YES

Was the issue predominately presented positively or negatively? POSITIVE

What were some of the opinions provided in the news story?

“I am innocent. I could have said I am guilty a long time ago,” Smollett shouted as sheriff’s deputies led him out of the courtroom, capping an hours-long sentencing hearing.
“For you now to sit here, convicted of hoaxing, hate crimes … the hypocrisy is just astounding,” Judge James Linn said.
Smollett’s defense attorney Nenye Uche asked Linn to limit the sentence to community service. He said Smollett “has lost nearly everything” in his career and finances
David Brown, who became superintendent in April 2020 and wasn’t with the city at the time of Smollett’s police report, said Smollett’s false report of a hate crime harmed “actual victims” of such crimes. Brown asked that the city be compensated for its costs, saying the cost of investigating his claim could have been spent elsewhere in the city.
Smollett’s brother, Joel Smollett Jr, told the court that Smollett is “not a threat to the people of Illinois. In my humble opinion he is completely innocent.”
Other supporters spoke about worries that Smollett would be at risk in prison, specifically mentioning his race, sexual orientation and his family’s Jewish heritage.
But because Smollett does not have an extensive criminal history and the conviction is for a low-level nonviolent crime, experts did not expect him to be sent to prison.

What is your opinion on the article? Why:

This article, compared to the first article, is longer in terms of content and includes a range of opinions. I could see that the writer wanted the reader to feel bad or sorry about Jussie Smollett’s situation, by including quotes from his family and opinions from the people that are concerned for the actor’s safety.
By ending the article on saying how Smollett does not have a criminal history and the experts’ opinion on the matter, it has an implication of how Smollett shouldn’t have been sentenced to jail.

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