Britney Spears is out of psych ward and back behind the wheel

AP on Bakersfield Californian ^ | 2/6/08 | Raquel Maria Dillon - ap

[NormsRevenge]

Britney Spears dodged the spotlight when she was released Wednesday after spending a week in a hospital psychiatric ward, but she was pursued hours later by a swarm of paparazzi as she drove around the city.

Spears left home later in the day driving a black Mercedes-Benz and then exchanged seats with an unidentified man, according to footage from a KTTV Fox 11 news helicopter.

Paparazzi vehicles zoomed around the Mercedes and photographers surrounded the vehicle at each stop. More than 15 people circled the car at one point, shooting still photos and video. Spears' vehicle, however, was observing traffic laws, the helicopter pilot reported.

Spears' public re-emergence came after a hiatus in which her father fought for control of the pop star and her estate, her frequent companion was ordered to stay away from her, and her mother vividly described her daughter's fragile state, drug use and the strange behavior that led to her hospitalization.

It was not immediately clear if her father - who was appointed by the court to look out for her welfare - played any role in her release from the hospital.

Unlike the night she was escorted to the hospital in a caravan of police motorcycles, cars and a helicopter, Spears slipped out of the hospital without notice.

"It occurred without any law enforcement intervention, and for the public that's a good thing," said Capt. Sharyn Buck. "There was no media, no paparazzi, and no need for public safety protection."

But the frenzied crowd of photographers caught up with her later when Spears took to the streets, eventually arriving at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Beverly Hills police Sgt. Mark Miner said a detail of officers was sent to the hotel to "keep the peace." He said it's common for such details to respond to reports of paparazzi causing a nuisance.

A woman at the hotel who identified herself as the assistant manager declined to say whether Spears had gone there.

The troubled singer was hospitalized on Jan. 31 after being taken to UCLA Medical Center in an ambulance that was provided an extensive police escort.

A Superior Court commissioner subsequently placed Spears and her estate under conservatorship. Her father, James, was named conservator of Spears, and he and attorney Andrew Wallet were made co-conservators of the estate.

A conservatorship is created after a court determines a person can no longer care for themselves or their personal affairs.

On Monday, Commissioner Reva Goetz ruled that Spears must remain in the conservatorship until at least Feb. 14. Goetz also appointed a physician to evaluate the 26-year-old pop star's condition.

On Friday, a court issued a restraining order against the man who's been at Spears' side in recent months after the singer's mother portrayed him as a Svengali-like figure who held her daughter hostage in her own home, drugged her, took over her finances and controlled the paparazzi who constantly surround her.

Sam Lutfi was ordered to stay away from Spears, her homes and her parents' and siblings' homes.

As her conservator, Spears' father was granted access to all of his daughter's medical records and authority to determine where Spears lives and who she sees.

Spears, who is in a child custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline, was also briefly hospitalized earlier in January after police were called to her home when she refused to return her sons to a Federline bodyguard after a visit. That trip to the hospital occurred amid a swarm of paparazzi.

Spears has since lost all visitation rights to her sons, 1-year-old Jayden James and 2-year-old Sean Preston.

The singer has been in a spiral of increasingly bizarre behavior since November 2006, when she filed for divorce from Federline.

Since then, Spears has been seen at public events in short skirts and without underwear, has shaved her head bald, run over a photographer's foot with her car, left the scene of a fender bender, flogged another car with an umbrella and abandoned a car in traffic when it had a flat tire. Recently, she was seen sitting on a sidewalk, holding her pet dog and crying.

On Wednesday, Buck said a grand theft report was filed with the Los Angeles Police Department, alleging that someone took "miscellaneous items," including a painting and jewelry, from Spears home. Buck didn't say who filed the report or when.

[modest proposal]

yeah i think the manager is the latest in a long line of problesm she has had:

1. no normal childhood (perhaps her parents pushed her who knows)
2. breaking up with justin timberlake
3. marrying kevin federline. i dont care if he looks sane by comparison now he was a leech and shady
4. post partum depression
5. the arab manager and ‘boyfriend’ that are moving in for the kill
6. all the lackeys who dont care about her only her $$

I believe the paparazzi would literally harass her until she is dead. i think thats what they want. its really evil