Jussie Smollett’s Brother Says The Actor Has Been Placed In Jail's Psych Ward
Jussie Smollett’s younger brother is speaking out after the actor was placed in a psychiatric ward at the Cook County Jail in Chicago.
Jocqui Smollett went on his brother’s Instagram page on Sunday to explain the details surrounding his entry into the psychiatric ward.
“So Jussie is currently in a psych ward at the Cook County Jail,” Smollett said. “What’s very concerning is that there was a note attached to his paperwork today saying that he’s at risk of self-harm.”
Smollett then said his brother isn’t “at risk of self-harm.”
“I want to make it clear that he is in no way, shape, or form at risk of self-harm,” Smollett emphasized. “He wants to let folks know that he is very stable, he is very strong, he is very healthy and ready to take on the challenge that... has been put up against him.”
Cook County Judge James Linn sentenced Jussie Smollett to 150 days in jail on Thursday for falsifying a 2019 police report in which he stating he was racially profiled and attacked for being an openly gay man after he left a Subway restaurant in Chicago.
In addition to serving jail time, Linn sentenced Smollett to 30 months of probation and ordered the actor to pay $120,106 in restitution.
Smollett, who had drawn praise for his role in the “Empire” drama series, was initially charged with a felony after the false report accusation spread across social media, but the charges were later dropped. In November 2021, he was indicted on new charges stemming from the incident.
After being sentenced, Smollett insisted to the court that he isn’t suicidal and that if anything happened to him while incarcerated, “I did not do it to myself, and you must all know that.”
Cook County Jail said Tuesday that it was following the judge’s orders by placing Jussie Smollett in protective custody.
“He is currently housed in a location frequently utilized for individuals requiring a high level of supervision and care for mental health needs,” the jail said in a statement to HuffPost. “This housing may also be utilized solely for security reasons due to the enhanced monitoring that can occur in this setting, and it would be inaccurate and irresponsible to make any assumption about his mental or medical condition based on where he is currently housed.”
The statement also said the actor is “not currently on suicide watch.”
If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741-741 for free, 24-hour support from the Crisis Text Line. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention for a database of resources.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
