Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx was among the many disappointed by the sentence handed down to actor-singer Jussie Smolllett Thursday (March 10) for his role in a reported hoax hate crime.

Convicted on 5 of 6 counts of felony disorderly conduct for allegedly filing a false police report, Smollett was sentenced to 150 days in jail, probation, and total fines of over $140,000.

Foxx, who first made headlines for dropping the initial 16 counts related to the ‘Empire’ star’s crime, is making headlines again for speaking out against his jail sentence – which started at the conclusion of the court hearing.

Look inside to see what she said:

Taking to Chicago’s ‘Sun Times,’ Foxx penned an op-ed in which she criticized local law officials for their handling of the celebrity case.

“On Thursday (March 10), the damaging, costly, and disingenuous criminal prosecution of Jussie Smollett came to an end. As Cook County State’s Attorney, it pains me deeply to say that, in this particular case, our justice system failed,” she started.

Reflecting on the early stages of the hoopla surrounding the attack, Kim reflected on her decision to drop the initial set of charges against Jussie.

“Given the reputational price Smollett paid, the $10,000 bond we held, and the fact that he’d never been accused of a violent crime, my office made the decision not to further pursue a criminal conviction. This story should have ended there, as thousands upon thousands of non-prosecuted cases do every day,” she shared.

Referring to the extensive prosecution of the star as ‘mob justice,’ Foxx says the attention paid to the Smollett case was overkill considering the more pressing issues of the Windy City.

“Just because we do not like the outcome should not mean we bully prosecutors and circumvent the judicial process to get it changed. Smollett was indicted, tried and convicted by a kangaroo prosecution in a matter of months,” she said.  “Meanwhile, the families of more than 50 Black women murdered in Chicago over the last 20 years await justice.”

Kim’s piece ended on a concerning note as she suggested the outcome of the trial could set in motion a negative precedent among prosecutors.

“I worry it [the trial outcome] will serve as a deterrent to the next generation of prosecutors eager to fight for critical reforms. Anyone interested in an equitable system of justice should be worried too,” she revealed.

Read her entire op-ed here.

[photo sources: Getty Images/AP Photos]

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