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Chicago, IL

Jussie Smollett begins serving 150-day sentence in Cook County Jail

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CHICAGO (WLS) — Jussie Smollett spent his first night time behind bars after a decide sentenced him to 5 months for a faux hate crime.

Thursday’s listening to ended dramatically as Smollett acquired up from his seat and declared his innocence and his concern for his personal security.

WATCH | Jussie Smollett’s emotional outburst in court docket

The 39-year was expressionless and his household and others within the courtroom shocked as Prepare dinner County Decide James Linn handed down sentencing.

“You’ll spend the primary 150 days of your sentence within the Prepare dinner County Jail, and that may begin as we speak. Proper right here, proper now,” Decide Linn mentioned.

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In contemplating the sentence, Linn mentioned Smollett’s “excessive” premeditation of the crime was an aggravating issue. He additionally mentioned the actor had denigrated the experiences of actual hate crime victims, calling him a “charlatan” and a liar.

“You bought on the witness stand. You did not have to. You probably did. You definitely had a proper to. However you dedicated hour upon hour upon hour of perjury,” Linn mentioned.

WATCH | Decide Linn’s full sentencing remarks

Whereas in jail, Smollett additionally begins 30 months of probation along with being ordered to pay greater than $120,000 in restitution to the town of Chicago and a $25,000 positive.

The disgraced actor then addressed the court docket.

“I’m not suicidal,” Smollett mentioned. “I’m not suicidal! I’m harmless! And I’m not suicidal. If I did this, then it signifies that I caught my fist within the fears of Black Individuals on this nation for 400 years and the fears of the LGBTQ neighborhood. Your honor, I respect you, and I respect the jury, however I didn’t do that, and I’m not suicidal. And if something occurs to me once I go in there, I didn’t do it to myself! And you have to all know that!”

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The sentence got here three months after Smollett was convicted of 5 counts of felony disorderly conduct for mendacity to Chicago police.

Earlier than sending Smollett to jail for the following 5 months, Decide Linn mentioned the actor had denigrated the experiences of actual hate crime victims, calling him a “charlatan” and a liar.

“You bought on the witness stand,” Decide Linn mentioned. “You did not have to. You probably did. You definitely had a proper to. However you dedicated hour upon hour upon hour of pure perjury.”

Smollett was nonetheless proclaiming his innocence as he was led out of court docket after sentencing.

“I’m harmless!” he mentioned. “I may have mentioned I used to be responsible a very long time in the past!”

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WATCH | Household defends Jussie Smollett’s innocence after sentencing

The sentencing outraged Smollett’s household, who slammed the decide after sentencing.

“My brother Jussie is harmless this shouldn’t be a controversial assertion as a result of it’s the absolute fact,” mentioned Jazz Smollett, Jussie’s sister.

“He shamed my brother,” Jojo Smollett, Jussie’s brother, mentioned. “He spoke about his conceitedness. He does not know concerning the battle my brother is encountering.”

Report on Kim Foxx’s workplace’s dealing with of Jussie Smollett case made public, decide guidelines

In the meantime, Particular Prosecutor Dan Webb praised the decide.

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“This was a course of conduct that deserved extreme punishment,” Webb mentioned. “I believed it was the precise approach to do it. And I do imagine that primarily based on the sentencing he acquired that Decide Linn clearly understood precisely what had occurred on this case.”

Smollett’s protection group mentioned they’re shocked and vowed to enchantment.

“I’ve by no means seen in my complete profession as an legal professional, and not one of the different attorneys right here have ever seen a state of affairs the place a category 4 felony will get the identical remedy as a violent offense,” mentioned protection legal professional Nenye Uche.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot applauded the decide’s ruling, writing: “The legal conviction of Jussie Smollett by a jury of his friends and as we speak’s sentencing ought to ship a transparent message to everybody within the Metropolis of Chicago that false claims and allegations won’t be tolerated. The malicious and wholly fabricated declare made by Mr. Smollett resulted in over 1500 hours of police work that price the Metropolis over $130,000 in police additional time. The Metropolis feels vindicated in as we speak’s ruling that he’s being held accountable and that we are going to appropriately obtain restitution for his actions.”

Jussie Smollett verdict: ‘Empire’ actor responsible of disorderly conduct; protection vows enchantment

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Smollett’s sentencing listening to comes three months after the actor was convicted of faking a hate crime in opposition to himself. Smollett instructed Chicago police he was the sufferer of a racist and homophobic assault in Streeterville again in January 2019.

After a protracted investigation and years in court docket, Smollett was convicted of 5 of six felony counts of disorderly conduct for mendacity to police. He confronted a most sentence of three years in jail for all counts.

Copyright © 2022 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

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Chicago, IL

2 women found dead in Englewood home after fire, Chicago fire officials say

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2 women found dead in Englewood home after fire, Chicago fire officials say
ByABC7 Chicago Digital Crew by way of

Wednesday, November 23, 2022 3:26AM

FILE photograph: View of the Chicago Hearth Division, the third largest municipal hearth division in america of America, within the Chinatown neighborhood on Sept. 24, 2014.

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CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago hearth officers mentioned two ladies have been discovered lifeless in an Englewood house after a home hearth.

The fireplace broke out Tuesday night at a home within the 7200-block of South Wolcott, Chicago hearth officers mentioned.

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The fireplace was struck out at about 9:10 p.m., CFD mentioned.

After the fireplace was out, firefighters discovered two grownup feminine victims lifeless within the wreckage.

It was not instantly clear if the ladies died within the hearth or earlier than the fireplace. No additional particulars have been launched.

The Chicago Hearth Division has not but commented on any potential causes for the fireplace or mentioned in the event that they consider it was suspicious.

Copyright © 2022 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

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Chicago, IL

3 women united by Highland Park shooting now lobby for assault weapon ban

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3 women united by Highland Park shooting now lobby for assault weapon ban

HIGHLAND PARK, Ailing. (WLS) — Three ladies and their households had been good strangers up till the second tragedy introduced them collectively within the aftermath of Highland Park’s July 4th parade.

As Thanksgiving approaches, they’re united in goal and in gratitude for probably the most primary of all issues: life.

“I believed I used to be going to die,” Highland Park capturing survivor Liz Turnipseed mentioned. “That I used to be going to put there and I used to be going to bleed out and I used to be going to die.”

WATCH | Highland Park capturing survivor tells her story

“I used to be on the parade with my three grownup kids, my son-in-law and my 2-year-old grand child,” mentioned Debra Baum, with the Highland Park Gun Violence Mission. “Our complete household may have been worn out.”

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“July third I had 70 folks at my home and the following day our life bought flipped the other way up,” capturing survivor Lindsay Hartman mentioned. “So I simply know for me, I am attempting to take pleasure in it and never spend an excessive amount of time previously.”

SEE ALSO | Highland Park parade capturing short-term memorial opens subsequent to metropolis corridor

For Lindsay, not spending an excessive amount of time previously means internet hosting Thanksgiving for 30. Liz, who was one of many almost 50 folks injured that day, nonetheless wants a cane to get round, so she’ll be catering the meal and having her complete household fly in. Debra shall be coming along with the identical household she was with on July 4.

“There are numerous households in Highland Park that do not have folks with them this Thanksgiving due to what occurred,” Baum mentioned. “It is a very weighty realization.”

However there’s additionally gratitude for random issues and other people, like for the proper strangers who took in Liz’s 3-year-old daughter for a few hours after she was shot. And the neighbor she’d by no means met earlier than who lent her a step stool for her mattress.

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Turning ache into goal is what unites these ladies now as they foyer for an assault weapons ban in Congress. As a result of whereas life for them won’t ever be the identical, it does transfer on.

Copyright © 2022 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

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Chicago, IL

Biden to extend student loan repayment freeze as relief program is tied up in courts

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Biden to extend student loan repayment freeze as relief program is tied up in courts

Tuesday, November 22, 2022 8:52PM

WASHINGTON D.C. — The Biden administration is but once more extending the pause on federal scholar mortgage funds, a profit that started in March 2020 to assist individuals who have been struggling financially because of the Covid-19 pandemic, a supply conversant in the plan mentioned.

The Division of Training will announce it’s extending the freeze one other six months with the primary funds due two months after June 30, the supply mentioned, until a Supreme Courtroom resolution on the president’s scholar mortgage aid program comes first.

The administration had beforehand mentioned the latest extension could be the final, and funds have been scheduled to restart in January.

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However the administration had additionally meant for its scholar mortgage forgiveness program to start canceling as much as $20,000 in debt for low- and middle-income debtors earlier than January. This system has but to be carried out because it faces a number of authorized challenges.

This story is breaking and can be up to date.

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