Get yours while they're hot!
Posted on 05/05/2007 5:38:21 AM PDT by kellynla
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A judge sentenced Paris Hilton to 45 days in county jail Friday for violating her probation, putting the brakes on the hotel heiress' famous high life.
Hilton, who parlayed her name and relentless partying into worldwide notoriety, must go to jail by June 5 and she will not be allowed any work release, furloughs, use of an alternative jail or electronic monitoring in lieu of jail, Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer ruled after a hearing.
The judge, saying "there's no doubt she knew her license had been suspended," ruled that she was in violation of the terms of her probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case.
"I'm very sorry and from now on I'm going to pay complete attention to everything. I'm sorry and I did not do it on purpose at all," she told the judge before he announced the sentence.
She was then ordered to report to a women's jail in suburban Lynwood by the set date or face 90 days behind bars. The judge's ruling excluded her from paying to serve time in a jail of her choice, as some are allowed.
Hilton was among a series of witnesses who took the stand during the hearing. She testified she believed her license was initially suspended for 30 days and that she was allowed to drive for work purposes during the next 90 days.
She said that when an officer who stopped her in January made her sign a document stating her license was suspended, she thought he was mistaken and did not actually look at the document.
Also called to the stand was Hilton's spokesman, Elliot Mintz. Hilton and her attorneys characterized Mintz as a liaison between Hilton and her lawyers.
Mintz testified that to his knowledge Hilton did not drive during the 30-day period. He said he then advised her that he believed her license was no longer suspended.
The judge called Mintz's testimony worthless and expressed disbelief at Hilton's lawyers.
"I can't believe that either attorney did not tell her that the suspension had been upheld," the judge said. "She wanted to disregard everything that was said and continue to drive no matter what."
Hilton's parents, Kathy and Rick, attended the hearing, holding hands throughout the proceedings. Both wore black suits. Kathy Hilton's beige, $3,000-plus Hermes bag sat on the floor by her side.
Reporters filled most of the 64-seat courtroom. Two sketch artists sat in the otherwise empty jury box.
When the judge announced Hilton's sentence, the reporters in attendance jumped up to leave until a bailiff snapped, "Sit down." Cell phones and other electronic devices were not allowed in the courtroom.
As a city prosecutor said during closing arguments that Hilton deserved jail time, Hilton's mother, Kathy, laughed. When the judge ruled, Kathy Hilton then blurted out: "May I have your autograph?"
Paris Hilton looked forward and didn't speak to news media as she left court. Her mother looked upset.
When a reporter asked what she thought of the judge's decision, a visibly angry Kathy Hilton responded: "What do you think? This is pathetic and disgusting, a waste of taxpayer money with all this nonsense. This is a joke."
Defense attorney Howard Weitzman said he would appeal.
"I'm shocked, I'm surprised and really disheartened in the system that I've worked in for close to 40 years," Weitzman said.
He said the sentence was "uncalled for, inappropriate and bordered on the ludicrous."
"I think she's singled out because of who she is," Weitzman said.
City attorney spokesman Nick Velasquez said late Friday that the judge's ruling "sends a clear message that in the city of Los Angeles, no one is above the law."
"She violated the law and appropriate action was taken," he said.
Hilton had arrived at the Metropolitan Courthouse 10 minutes late and ignored screams of photographers as she swept in with her attorneys, mother and father. Wearing a gray jacket and white shirt over black slacks and with a black headband on, she said nothing and appeared serious.
The celebrity case brought an unusual scene to the austere courthouse south of downtown in a commercial area. As if at a red carpet event, dozens of photographers and reporters lined up at the rear entrance. Yellow police tape substituted for velvet ropes.
Hilton, 26, pleaded no contest in January to reckless driving stemming from a Sept. 7 arrest in Hollywood. Police said she appeared intoxicated and failed a field sobriety test. She had a blood-alcohol level of .08 percent, the level at which an adult driver is in violation of the law.
She was sentenced to 36 months probation, alcohol education and $1,500 in fines.
Two other traffic stops and failure to enroll in a mandated alcohol education program, are what landed the socialite back in court.
On Jan. 15, Hilton was pulled over by California Highway Patrol. Officers informed her that she was driving on a suspended license and she signed a document acknowledging that she was not to drive, according to papers filed in Superior Court.
Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies stopped Hilton on Feb. 27 and charged her with violating her probation. Police said she was pulled over at about 11 p.m. after authorities saw the car speeding with its headlights off.
Mintz said at the time Hilton wasn't aware her license was suspended. A copy of the document Hilton signed on Jan. 15 was found in the car's glove compartment, court papers say.
Hilton was also required to enroll in an alcohol education program by Feb. 12. As of April 17, she had not enrolled, prosecutors said.
Hilton, heiress to the Hilton Hotel fortune, first gained notoriety for her hard partying as a teen. She attracted worldwide attention when a sex tape she made with a boyfriend was released on the Internet.
She stars in the reality-TV series, "The Simple Life," now in its fifth season, with Nicole Richie. She appeared in the 2005 film, "House of Wax" and recently finished filming "The Hottie and the Nottie." She also is a handbag designer and has a namesake perfume.
gezzzzzzzz...talk about a HUGE difference....
Well she won’t be able to get her coloring done for 45 days.
You can bet she’ll make an exit from incarceration under the cover of night.
Girlfriend has a rep to protect. LOL
But she’ll capitalize BIG TIME from her incarceration.
And they’ll be one hellofa party after her release!
“Does this mean we can go for 45 glorious days without being forced to read something about Paris Hilton in the papers?”
Hardly!
Every local news source will be camped out of her incarceration location interviewing every visitor and “ho” exiting.LOL
Someone cares, otherwise she would not get paid the money she does just to simply show up at a club and party.
Yeah, like pay -per- view of her body cavity search. Oh, we've already been lucky to see that. She has no talent. Her 15 minutes are OVER.
are you kidding? LOL
with this, just like IMUS' firing, her celebrity will be enhanced.
Hollyweird loves its celebrities and when the celebrities are incarcerated it loves them even more. I can see a whole line of Paris Hilton orange jumpsuits on the racks in BH this summer.
I couldn’t care less about her. Period.
Probably the opposite. Every inmate in the joint will have as many “visitors” as possible as the press seeks to get us hourly updates on “How’s Paris Doing Behind Bars”.
Wow... this skank's parents finally come out from under the "enabling" rock they've been hiding under to say the equivalent of the Queen of Mean's claim that "only the little people pay taxes."
The Hiltons finally get a taste of how blind justice is... too bad there are not a lot more judges that'd do the same for any /all pop culture "icons" that spit on established laws, regulations, and sense of decency.
She, like many others who drink, should invest in a limo & a driver...
When I was drinking, I purchased a limo...best investment I ever made!
“Anyone who doesn’t like the movie gets a night in the box.”
LOL
Oh, really? Well, that was my laugh for the day.
Never thought she would be sentenced to jail, but am still waiting to see if she serves even one day of that sentence.
Will Paris say, “I’m shakin’ it here boss, I’m shakin’ it.”
Lol
“Suburban Lynwood”
Right smack in the middle between Watts and Compton. I’m sure it’s just lovely. NOT!
Those inmates there are gonna have fun with her.
In Paris’s box no tanks
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