Paris Hilton uses her “Get out of Jail Free” card
Paris Hilton was released from a Los Angeles County jail early Thursday because of an unspecified medical problem.
She’ll serve the remainder of her sentence for violating probation in home confinement, a sheriff’s spokesman said.
The 26-year-old hotel heiress was sent home shortly after 2 a.m. wearing an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet, sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said.
Hilton was sentenced to 45 days for violating her probation in a reckless driving case, but had been expected to serve 23 days in jail because of state rules allowing shorter sentences for good behaviour.
The socialite ended up spending three full days at the all-women’s facility in Lynwood, but because she checked in late Sunday and left early Thursday, authorities credited her with five days of time served.
She will be confined to her Hollywood Hills home for 40 days.
“I can’t specifically talk about the medical situation other than to say that yes it played a part in this,” Whitmore said.
Whitmore refused to answer questions from reporters when asked if the condition was physical or psychological.
He did say it was not a staph infection.
The jail provided her with a pamphlet on the skin infection when she checked in. Inmates released the day she entered the facility had said the jail was dirty and infections common.
She returned to her lavish 251-square-metre home in the Hollywood Hills, where authorities say she will be confined for 40 days.
The eight-bedroom, Spanish-style home, built in 1926, sits on a 593-square-metre lot above the Sunset Strip.
Presumably, Hilton will have the run of the grounds as long as she does not step outside the gates.
The conditions of Hilton’s home confinement were not immediately disclosed.
Whitmore referred all questions to the L.A. County Probation Department. Messages left for the person handling media calls were not immediately returned.
Favourtism
The Rev. Al Sharpton, a noted black civil rights leader, immediately denounced her release, saying it had “all of the appearances of economic and racial favouritism.”
Although Sharpton said he has “nothing but empathy for Ms. Hilton,” he doubted similar treatment would be offered to minorities or poor people.
“There are any number of cases of people who handled being incarcerated badly and even have health conditions that are not released,” Sharpton said.
Hilton had surrendered to authorities with little fanfare late Sunday after a surprise appearance at the MTV Movie Awards, where she worked the red carpet in a strapless designer gown.
“I am trying to be strong right now,” she told reporters at the time. “I’m ready to face my sentence. Even though this is a really hard time, I have my family, my friends and my fans to support me, and that’s really helpful.”
Hilton was housed in the “special needs” unit of the 13-year-old jail, separate from most of its 2,200 inmates. The unit contains 12 two-person cells reserved for police officers, public officials, celebrities and other high-profile inmates. She did not have a cellmate.
Hilton’s lawyer, Richard A. Hutton, said Monday after his client’s first night in jail that she was doing well under the circumstances.
“She’s using this time to reflect on her life, to see what she can do to make the world better and hopefully, in my opinion, to change the attitudes that exist about her among many people,” Hutton said after visiting Hilton.
Hutton did not immediately return calls seeking comment Thursday. Nor did Hilton’s publicist, Elliot Mintz.
When she was sentenced May 4, Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer ruled she would not be allowed any work release, furloughs or use of an alternative jail or electronic monitoring in lieu of jail. Whitmore said Thursday Sauer “was consulted and he was advised.”
Officers arrested Hilton in Hollywood on Sept. 7. In January, she pleaded no contest to the reckless-driving charge and was sentenced to 36 months of probation, alcohol education and $1,500 in fines.
She was pulled over by California Highway Patrol on Jan. 15. Officers informed Hilton she was driving on a suspended license and she signed a document acknowledging she was not to drive. She then was pulled over by sheriff’s deputies on Feb. 27, at which time she was charged with violating probation.
Source: http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/World/2007/06/07/4242454.html