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The charges against Smollett — six counts of disorderly conduct for lying to police about the January attack — are low-level felonies and carry a possible sentence of three years in prison.

Jussie Smollett Announces ‘Sum of My Music’ World Tour

Legal experts say if convicted he would most likely get probation and be ordered to perform community service. The impact on his livelihood could be far more serious. But he chose instead to stand up to injustice. Publicist Danny Deraney, who works with entertainment figures and often takes on crisis PR clients but is not working with Smollett, said the performer will be hurt in any attempt to return to his career because he was far from a household name before, and so many learned his identity because of the alleged attack and charges against him.

The atypical accusations, the absurdity of his alleged crime and his tendency to be fodder for comedians may hurt him more than accusations, even of serious crimes. Some of the Smollett strategy is playing out in the court proceedings, where Smollett testified he was a victim of a hate crime after two brothers said the actor recruited them to carry out the attack on him so he could publicize it via social media.

On Monday, his team sent out a photograph of Smollett and his family meeting with civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson over the weekend. Smollett starred on the program for four years starting in Producers renewed his contract for the sixth and final season inbut he never appeared in an episode.

Deraney said it can be difficult to predict who will be accepted back into public life. More in National News.