Jussie Smollett to be released from jail on bond

Jussie Smollett will be released from the Cook County jail on orders from court as the actor appeals his conviction of lying to Chicago police about a homophobic and racist attack.

Smollett was sentenced last week to 150 days in jail and 30 months of probation for his crimes. The judge slammed the actor as "profoundly arrogant, selfish and narcissistic" for faking the attack.

Smollett's attorneys filed an appeal to overturn his sentence. The appeals court ordered that he post $150,000 in a personal recognizance bond before going free as the appeal is pending, The Associated Press reported.

Smollett's attorneys argued their client would have completed his sentence by the time the court made a decision on the appeal. They also said Smollett would be in physical danger if he remained in jail.

Smollett was convicted in December on five felony disorderly conduct charges related to the hate crime hoax.

The former "Empire" actor filed a police report in January 2019 claiming that while he was out getting a Subway sandwich in Chicago in the middle of one of the coldest nights of the year, two men wearing MAGA gear assaulted him in a racist and homophobic attack. 

Police later discovered that he paid two Nigerian immigrant brothers to stage the attack.

Immediately after his sentence, Smollett raised his fist and screamed about his innocence in the courtroom.

"I am not suicidal and I am innocent. I could have said that I was guilty a long time ago," he yelled as deputy sheriffs led him off to begin his 150-day sentence.