World News
Actor Jussie Smollett sentenced to 150 days in jail for lying to police in hate crime hoax
US actor Jussie Smollett has been sentenced to 150 days in jail after a jury found he lied to police about being the victim of a hate crime.
The former Empire star, 39, was found guilty in December of five charges of felony disorderly conduct after making false reports about the hoax attack.
The sentence also includes 30 months of probation and $145,000 (£110,000) in restitution and fines.
Following the sentence, Smollett said: “I did not do this!”
The trial stemmed from an incident three years ago when Smollett said he was attacked by two assailants.
The actor, who is black and gay, said the attackers shouted slurs at him and a Trump slogan, dumped a “chemical substance” on him and tied a noose around his neck while he was walking late at night in January 2019.
Authorities opened an investigation, but in February of that year, police charged Smollett with filing a false police report, alleging he had staged the assault.
At trial last year, a jury of six men and six women heard from brothers Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, who testified Smollett paid them to orchestrate the attack and paid them $3,500 to carry it out.
Smollett faced up to three years in prison for each of the five counts. The first 150 days of his probation will be spent in custody, beginning immediately.
He must also pay $120,106 in restitution to the city of Chicago and $25,000 in fines – the maximum allowable by law.
Throughout the trial, Smollett maintained that he had been the victim of a crime.
How the Jussie Smollett drama unfolded
In court on Thursday, his defence team again asked that the case be thrown out or declared a mistrial, citing a previous prosecutor’s 2019 promise to drop the charges.
Prosecutors characterised the effort as “finger-pointing and scapegoating”.
Additionally, the judge heard from several witnesses who testified on Smollett’s behalf in a bid for leniency. Letters were also read from the likes of civil rights leader Jesse Jackson and actor Samuel L Jackson.
“Jussie should not be incarcerated,” his brother Joel said. “He is not a threat to the people of Illinois.”
A victim impact statement on behalf of the Chicago Police Department read in court said police officers had committed more than 30 officers to the investigation – spread over 1,426 regular hours and 1,837 overtime hours.
They had interviewed dozens of witnesses, watched thousands of hours of surveillance videos and gone door-to-door during Chicago’s Polar Vortex – one of the coldest periods in the city’s history, it said.
Judge James Linn repeatedly addressed Smollett directly and noted that the “unprecedented” media attention the case attracted is usually reserved for murder cases.
“There is nothing that I can do here today that can come close to the damage you’ve already done to your own life,” Mr Linn told Smollett. “You’ve turned your life upside down by your conduct and shenanigans.”
“You’re just a charlatan pretending to be a victim of a hate crime, and that’s shameful,” Mr Linn later added.
Following the sentencing, Smollett left the courtroom with a raised fist, and exclaimed: “I am innocent, and I am not suicidal.”
“If I did this, then it means that I stuck my fist in the fears of black Americans in this country for over 400 years and the fears of the LGBT community,” he said. “But I did not do this.”
Smollett’s acting career stalled after the incident. He lost his role as a singer-songwriter in the final season of Empire, a Fox television hip-hop drama.
SOURCE: BBC.
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Napoléon by Abel Gance (1st period) opening Cannes Classics at the 77th Festival de Cannes
A legend known to cinephiles the world over, a major work of the silent era, one of the most monumental restorations in the history of filmmaking will be unveiled on May 14 as a world premiere: Napoléon by Abel Gance (1st period), in a version resulting from a colossal, passionate effort by the Cinémathèque française, with the support of the CNC.
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Davido Inks Partnership with UnitedMasters For His Nine+ Records Venture
Making yet another major power move, three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated Nigerian global superstar and Afrobeats pioneer Davido has inked a deal with UnitedMasters for his recently launched label Nine+ Records.
In this groundbreaking collaboration, Davido will spearhead artist development, A&R, and behind-the-scenes curation, nurturing a pioneering lineup of artists across the continent under Nine+ Records. United by a shared vision, the teams will work together to introduce and foster talent, amplifying Davido’s influence and extending his reach even further. This partnership marks a pivotal moment in shaping the future of African and world music.
Together, the teams will collaborate closely in order to not only introduce, but cultivate career talent. It only expands Davido’s influence and reach.
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Of today’s announcement Davido said, “I couldn’t be more proud to partner with Steve and the team at United Masters, this announcement represents an exciting new chapter for developing and established artists around the world.”
Steve Stoute, Founder and CEO of UnitedMasters states, “Over the last 2 years, we’ve proven our commitment to Africa investing in artists, education, and technology. Today, we are doubling down. With this new venture with Davido & the launch of Nine Plus Records, we reinforce our mission in becoming a bridge for artists on the continent. Together we’ll identify & develop new artists while supporting them with brand and synch opportunities.”
Nine+ Records will be announcing more artists and partners in the future.
Last night, Davido just sold out one of the most iconic venues in the world, headlining Madison Square Garden in New York City. He ignited the stage with what will be remembered as a historic set, bringing Afrobeats to the Big Apple in the biggest way possible. In advance of the show, he extensively spoke to Billboard who praised how “Performing in New York has also become a special ritual” for him.
This news also arrives on the heels of various major company announcements for UnitedMasters. The company locked down a high-profile alliance with SymphonyOS and Groover. Plus, it hosted its annual “A Celebration of Independence” GRAMMY® Concert at the Palladium in Hollywood, CA. The show boasted an all-star lineup, including headliner Davido, Uncle Waffles, Tokischa, Donavan’s Yard, and NLE Choppa. Of the latter, The Source wrote, “This marked the first time UnitedMasters featured international acts, solidifying its impact and representation within the global independent artist movement.”
Stay tuned for a whole lot more soon
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Baloji and Emmanuelle Béart will co-preside over the Caméra d’or Jury of the 77th Festival de Cannes
The 77th Festival de Cannes will feature an unprecedented yet self-evident pairing at the head of the Caméra d’or Jury. As rich dialogue and inspiring gaze arise from encounters, the Festival de Cannes is eager to bring together Emmanuelle Béart and Baloji to co-preside over the Jury that will honor one of the first films presented in the Festival’s Official Selection or its parallel sections.
An unprecedented pairing since French actress Emmanuelle Béart and director and songwriter Baloji, who evolves in Belgium and the Democratic Republic of Congo, have never met. She has worked with some of the world’s greatest filmmakers, dazzling both screen and stage with her incandescent performance. He is a bold, visionary creator, who made two short films before receiving the New Voice Prize at Un Certain Regard in 2023 for his acclaimed debut feature Omen.
An obvious pairing as both are free spirits with no limits, who rely on their art to achieve creative freedom. Through her impressive filmography and her humanitarian commitment, Emmanuelle Béart is forever supporting a filmmaking to be shared, to emancipate, transcend borders and help us live together. Baloji, in his first feature film with impressive aesthetic mastery, delivers a chronicle that transcends otherness through the prism of magical realism.
Delighted to be paired at the head of the Caméra d’or Jury, Baloji and Emmanuelle Béart will combine their voices to welcome the first features of filmmakers who look at the world with inspiration, tell us about it with emotion and invite us to discuss it with the conviction of beginnings. “Being a self-taught filmmaker and a filmmaker from the Congolese diaspora,” confides Baloji, “it’s a great honour to be able to witness the vitality of first-time directors, to discover their strong singularities and their inaugural work, which will have a lasting impact on the identity of their filmography.” Emmanuelle Béart declares: “A first film is about the impossibility of doing anything other than delving into the depths of one’s being to find out what we can’t keep quiet about. A deeply moving and terribly free birth: no one is waiting for you yet. We will honor our duty with wonder and respect.”
The Caméra d’or Jury has been co-chaired three times before: by actress Françoise Fabian and director Daniel Schmid in 1996, by Marthe Keller and Géraldine Chaplin in 2002, and by brothers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne in 2006.
In 2023, the Caméra d’Or was awarded to Pham Thien An for Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell by the Jury presided over by French actress Anaïs Demoustier
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