Jussie Smollett recently opened up about what he describes as his “darkest day” — the day he was arrested — reflecting on the events that transpired five years ago. In an interview with People, he detailed the impact of that fateful day, stating, “That was a pretty dark day because that’s when everything clicked to me of what was happening.”
The former Empire star recounted the emotional toll the situation took on him. “A lot of things tested my strength, a lot of things tested my mental, but the one thing I never lost — I never started thinking that I am somebody that I’m not. That is the one thing that did not happen,” he expressed.
Smollett, now 42, was arrested in connection with an alleged hate-crime hoax after telling Chicago police he was attacked by two masked men on January 29, 2019. He claimed the assailants hurled racial and homophobic slurs at him, placed a noose around his neck, and threw bleach on him.
In March 2019, Smollett was indicted on 16 counts of felony disorderly conduct and falsifying a police report, to which he pleaded not guilty. Although all charges were dropped initially, further investigations led to six counts of lying to police in 2020. In December 2021, he was convicted on five counts of disorderly conduct for making false reports, receiving a five-month jail sentence, a $25,000 fine, and more than $120,000 in restitution to cover law enforcement expenses in his case. He was released on bail just six days into his sentence, and his appeal remains ongoing.
Recalling the arrest’s aftermath, Smollett admitted, “I was numb. I didn’t know how to connect the dots. I really genuinely did not know.” He found it difficult to comprehend the situation and expressed confusion over public perception of what had occurred.
Smollett insists on his innocence, stating he felt manipulated as a pawn in societal debates. “I’m the same man that I was and will always be this way,” he told People, mentioning his ongoing commitment to authenticity. Ahead of his sentencing in 2022, he shared with his legal team that he believed he faced systemic racism within the judicial system.
As he presses on with his appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court, Smollett is determined to move forward. “I’m very well aware of my privilege in this situation. That’s why there’s a certain point where it’s just like, I can’t hold on to the pain,” he noted, affirming his intention to continue his work in film and music, feeling that it is part of his purpose as guided by a higher power.
