Beyonce’s mom Tina Knowles-Lawson called for leniency for Jussie Smollett when he is sentenced for lying to police about a hate crime hoax.
Smollett was convicted of 5 felony counts of disorderly conduct on December 9. He faces up to 15 years in prison. He could also be sentenced to probation.
Knowles-Lawson hopes the disgraced actor receives the lesser punishment. She compared Smollett to Kyle Rittenhouse, the Illinois teenager who was acquitted last month of killing two white Antifa activists in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
READ ALSO: Update: Jussie Smollett Found Guilty On 5 of 6 Felony Counts
Knowles-Lawson took to Instagram to share a screenshot of a CNN article, titled, “What Jussie Smollett’s guilty verdicts tell us.”
The CNN opinion piece compared Smollett to Amy Cooper, a white woman who called police to report she was being threatened by a Black man in Central Park last year. Cooper was dragged on social media and lost her job. She eventually apologized to the man who was simply bird watching in the park.
Knowles-Lawson captioned the post:
“The article goes on to say both were wrong but Jussie faces possible prison time and Amy Cooper The woman who called the police and lied about the black man that was Bird watching in Central Park was trying to attack her. Leading to the potential arrest of the man where in the history of black men In Custody could have led to his death !! Amy Cooper got off with public service.”
Knowles-Lawson called for Smollett to receive “the same compassion” shown to Rittenhouse and Cooper.
“We will see the outcome of this for this Black man. Will he get the same compassion as Amy Cooper? I am not condoning what Mr Smollet was found guilty of . I am just asking will he get the same compassion and understanding of knowingly lying to police. Kyle Rittenhouse walked free after killing two people because the jury had compassion ?[sic].”
