Jussie Smollett checks into rehab after 'extremely difficult' few years
Jussie Smollett is receiving outpatient treatment at a rehab facility following an "extremely difficult" few years.
Jussie Smollett has checked in to rehab.
The 'Empire' actor - who launched an appeal earlier this year after he was convicted of lying about being a victim of a racist and homophobic attack back in 2019 - will be participating in an outpatient programme at an undisclosed facility following an "extremely difficult" few years.
His representative told TMZ in a statement: "Jussie has had an extremely difficult past few years. He has quietly been working very hard for some time now and we are proud of him for taking these necessary steps."
Although Jussie, 41, was initially sentenced to 150 days in jail in 2021, he was freed after just six days behind bars and previously admitted he didn't eat while in prison because he wanted to have a "clear mind".
He previously told SiriusXM's 'Sway in the Morning' show: "I was there for six and a half days. I fasted for six and a half days. I was fasting because that's what we do in my family. Like we fast for clarity... I have never in my life, at least in my adult life, been as clear of mind as I was for those six and a half days... I was fasting until I found out whether or not I was gonna be in there for those five and a half months. I just wanted to know what my life was about to look like."
Jussie - who was found to have paid two men to attack him before being found guilty of five counts of felony disorderly conduct - and his team launched an appeal for a new trial in March, arguing he had been subjected to "clear and egregious" instances of "prosecutorial misconduct".
Documents obtained by The Hollywood Reporter said: "Mr. Smollett’s constitutional rights to due process and to a fair trial were denied by prosecutorial misconduct including allegations that a defense witness was pressured to change his statement … and shifting the burden during closing arguments."
The 102-page submission also cited double-jeopardy protection tied to the actor being “punished for the same offenses by his performance of community service and forfeiture of his bond.”
His attorney wrote: “The renewed prosecution of Mr. Smollett violated his due process rights because (1) Mr. Smollett fully performed his part of a non-prosecution agreement with the state by performing community service and forfeiting his $10,000 bail bond; and (2) the state benefited from taking and keeping Mr. Smollett’s bail bond without performing its end of the bargain.
"Thus, the violation of due process was prejudicial and requires reversal of Mr. Smollett’s convictions and a dismissal of the charges against him.”
