Paris Hilton was sent screaming and crying back to jail Friday after a judge
ruled that she must serve out her sentence behind bars rather than in the
comfort of her Hollywood Hills home.
Paris Hilton is seen the window
of a police car as she is transported from her home to court by the Los
Angeles County Sheriff's Department in Los Angeles on Friday, June 8,
2007. [AP]
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"It's not right!" shouted Hilton, who violated her probation in a reckless
driving case. "Mom!" she cried out to her mother.
Hours earlier, the 26-year-old hotel heiress was taken handcuffed from her
home in a black-and-white police car, paparazzi sprinting in pursuit and
helicopters broadcasting live from above. She entered the courtroom disheveled
and weeping, hair askew, without makeup, wearing a fuzzy gray sweat shirt over
slacks.
She cried throughout the hearing, dabbing her eyes, and her body shook
constantly. Several times she turned to her parents, seated behind her in the
courtroom, and mouthed, "I love you."
Despite being ordered to serve the remainder of her original 45-day sentence,
Hilton could still be released early. Inmates are given a day off their terms
for every four days of good behavior, and her days in home detention counted as
time served.
Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer was calm but apparently irked by
Sheriff Lee Baca's decision to release Hilton three days into her sentence due
to an unspecified "medical condition."
"I at no time condoned the actions of the sheriff and at no time told him I
approved the actions," Sauer said. "At no time did I approve the defendant being
released from custody to her home."
The hearing was requested by the city attorney's office, which had prosecuted
Hilton and wanted Baca held in contempt for releasing Hilton despite Sauer's
express order that she must serve her time in jail. The judge took no action on
the contempt request.
A member of the county counsel's staff said Baca was willing to come to court
with medical personnel. The judge did not take him up on the offer.
Assistant City Attorney Dan F. Jeffries argued that Hilton's incarceration
was purely up to the judge. "Her release after only three days erodes confidence
in the judicial system," he said.
Hilton's attorney, Richard Hutton, implored the judge to order a hearing in
his chambers to hear testimony about Hilton's medical condition before making a
decision. The judge did not respond to that suggestion.
Another of her attorneys, Steve Levine, said, "The sheriff has determined
that because of her medical situation, (jail) is a dangerous place for her."
"The court's role here is to let the Sheriff's Department run the jail," he
said.
The judge interrupted several times to say that he had received a call last
Wednesday from an undersheriff informing him that Hilton had a medical condition
and that he would submit papers to the judge to consider. He said the papers
never arrived.
Every few minutes, the judge would interrupt proceedings, state the time on
the clock, and note that the papers still had not arrived.
He also noted that he had heard that a private psychiatrist visited Hilton in
jail, and he wondered if that person played a role in deciding her medical
needs.
The last attorney to speak was another deputy city attorney, David Bozanich,
who declared, "This is a simple case. There was a court. The Sheriff's
Department chose to violate that order. There is no ambiguity."
Hilton's twisted jailhouse saga began Sept. 7, when she failed a sobriety
test after police saw her weaving down a street in her Mercedes-Benz on what she
said was a late-night hamburger run.
She pleaded no contest to reckless driving and was sentenced to 36 months'
probation, alcohol education and $1,500 in fines. In the months that followed
she was stopped twice while driving on a suspended license. The second stop
landed her in Sauer's courtroom.
Back before Sauer on Friday, Hilton's entire body trembled as the final pitch
was made for her further incarceration. She clutched a ball of tissue and tears
ran down her face.
Seconds later, the judge announced his decision: "The defendant is remanded
to county jail to serve the remainder of her 45-day sentence. This order is
forthwith."
Hilton screamed.
Eight deputies immediately ordered all spectators out of the courtroom.
Hilton's mother, Kathy, threw her arms around her husband, Rick, and sobbed
uncontrollably.
Deputies escorted Hilton out of the room, holding each of her arms as she
looked back.