According to reports, Samuel L. Jackson and his wife LaTanya Richardson as well as actress Alfre Woodard, members of Black Lives Matter, and Jesse Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition wrote letters to the judge presiding over the Jussie Smollett case asking for leniency.
"It is with the respect of knowing this, that I humbly implore you to please find an alternative to incarceration for Jussie Smollett," Jackson and Richardson wrote in the letter dated Feb. 24, according to Entertainment Tonight. "It is my understanding that Jussie was convicted of Class 4, disorderly conduct, which to my understanding, people convicted of this offense historically are sentenced to various alternatives to incarceration."
"Jussie has already suffered a great deal of punishment, as this situation has destroyed his existing career and impugned his reputation," the letter continued. "Please Judge Linn, in God's name, please save this young man and allow him to be of service. Jussie Smollett is worth the risk and the investment."
After sending the letter, Jackson spoke with Entertainment Tonight about why he and his wife felt compelled to lend their voices to Smollett's case. Jackson said the couple tries to "give service in every way we possibly can."
"There are wrongs that need to be righted and someone’s gotta stand up because if we don’t stand up for anything, we'll fall for everything," Jackson said.
Source: fox32chicago.com
