Lindsay Lohan battery case strong enough for prosecutors to consider charges, detectives conclude
Riverside County authorities investigating battery allegations against actress Lindsay Lohan have determined that there is enough evidence to forward the case to prosecutors.
The case "will be submitted to the district attorney’s office as the investigation determined Ms. Lohan violated several aspects of her probation, including the battery. A copy of this investigation will be forwarded to the Los Angeles Probation Office," the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said in a statement. "It is expected that this investigation will be sent to the district attorney’s office later this week."
Lohan left the Betty Ford clinic this week and returned to Los Angeles. But allegations that she pushed a technician at the Betty Ford Center last month appears not to be going away.
The technician, Dawn Holland, initially sought a battery charge against the actress. Last week Holland's attorney, Keith Davidson, said the technician had decided that she no longer wanted to pursue prosecution and that as a recovering addict herself, she sympathized with Lohan. Davidson sent a fax to Riverside authorities saying she no longer wanted to press charges and would not cooperate with the investigation into the incident at a halfway facility run by the Betty Ford Center.
But Palm Desert police are continuing to investigate the case in which Holland initially had alleged that Lohan had hurt her wrist as she tried to yank a phone out of her hand.
The battery case, if proven, could violate Lohan's probation on her earlier drunken-driving case.
RELATED:
Decision on Lohan assault investigation could come this week
Lindsay Lohan free to leave Betty Ford Center this week
Lohan's alleged assault victim no longer cooperating with authorities
--Richard Winton
Photo: Lindsay Lohan. Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times
EDITOR'S PICKS:
This is ridiculous.
She is an artist and the same rules for joe six-pack shouldn't be applied to her. Artists do so much for the world that we should cut them some slack.
It is so silly how they are over-reacting with her just like with Winona a few years ago.
Posted by: LA DOC00 | January 04, 2011 at 11:16 AM
Battery charges once the Cops are on the scene can no longer be dropped by the person requesting those charges, because its up to the cops at that point. The law that did that was written to protect victims from retialition for pressing charges. Ms Lohan obviously needs A LOT more rehab, but it will do her no good until she sees and takes responsibility for the choices she is making. She is just like any other substance abuser, in and out of the can because they refuse to stop the self destructive behaviors. Any family of a chronic substance abuser can tell you how that the jail doors are revolving for their family members. Lindsay probably poured on a sad sob story for the tech, who probably feels sorry for her. But that doesn't stop the behavior, thats just enabling and letting the person not take responsibility for their behavior. Lindsay maybe you ought to go get a designer jail outfit, because your never out long enough to wear anything else.
Posted by: justina | January 04, 2011 at 11:29 AM
battery, a misdemeanor, in order for an arrest to be made, the crime must be witnessed by law enforcement, and arrest made, or citizens arrest made by victim. Neither of which is going to happen. You can't have a violation of probation based on that battery offense. The revocation would need to be based on some other condition.
Posted by: chris | January 04, 2011 at 11:33 AM
Sounds like ms holland GOT something in 'return' for dropping the case. If I were the DA I would look into her financials and then IF she has a little more then when she started I would ALSO prosecute HER for aiding and abetting. Lohan herself NEEDS jail time and if she DOESNT get it this time I would LOOK into the Judges bank account as well. She's a star gone BAD and nothing will change that now. Celebrities seem to have a 'different' set of laws for them as ANY normal citizen charged with the 'same' crimes would NOT be coddled as ms lohan or any other star has been. Any judge presented with this as a defense and a way OUT for a normal citizen would be 'rebuked' and told 'your case is different' , Yea NOT enough money to hand out !!
Posted by: Tony ( aka Brains) | January 04, 2011 at 11:40 AM
She is not going to get any better until the courts, her family and her fans stop enabling her.
She has to WANT to stop before she can.
Posted by: ThaBeav | January 04, 2011 at 11:45 AM
Why is this front page news? More serious journalism please.
Posted by: Mike_from_SGV | January 04, 2011 at 11:45 AM
How many school teachers should we fire so we can afford to get Lindsay behind bars?
Posted by: Patricia | January 04, 2011 at 11:46 AM
If you work at a rehab facility this kind of stuff happens all the time. Just part of the job
Posted by: jc | January 04, 2011 at 11:47 AM
It appears that there is plenty of reasonable doubt surrounding the alleged incident.The injury may be just an accident in the course of a heated argument which was unreasonably thrust upon Lindsay. That Lindsay had no intent to injure Holland.She pulled the phone out of Holland's hands and that was the intent and did not throw any punch. Furthermore, sprain of the wrist can be caused by minimal trauma like a friendly enthusiastic handshake . Unless Holland suffered bruising of the wrist, the sprain standing alone is not of sufficient objective evidence to overcome any reasonable doubt. The credibility of Holland is going to be an issue,particularly where she was fired from her job for apparently violating standard hospital policies and procedures not to consider her own recovering alcoholic background and notice of withdrawal of charges.
Any trial of this matter is going to stress, derail and prolong Lindsay's recovery. Lindsay for her own sake should proactively submit herself to drug and alcohol testing every week to show to the court that she benefited from her stint at Betty Ford, that she is making progress. It is not clear how any new charges of battery are going to violate probation for a totally unrelated charges.
The DA should not waste its time and resources in a weak and a very borderline case.
Posted by: Californiadesi | January 04, 2011 at 11:47 AM
Bet Lohan's representatives are buying her off.
Posted by: kgoddess | January 04, 2011 at 12:36 PM
nothing will happen
Posted by: joseph | January 04, 2011 at 12:39 PM
What a frigging waste of time and money.
LEAVE LINDSAY ALONE!!
Posted by: keepwe | January 04, 2011 at 12:42 PM
Why don't they just institutionalize this person before she seriously hurts herself and someone else? Lock her up in a hospital for a year. At least, that way we wouldn't continue to see the same articles about her week after week.
Posted by: JohnRJ08 | January 04, 2011 at 12:55 PM
Patricia, check your facts before posting incorrect remarks. Riverside County sheriff is the entity asking the Riverside County DA to file charges, not LA County. Riverside is fowarding a copy of their findings to LA County Probation Deptartment because Lohan is on probation in LA County. Get your facts straight.
Posted by: JustSaying | January 04, 2011 at 01:02 PM
Are you kinding me? For yanking a telephone out of someone's hand. What a waste of tax payers money and the court's time.
Posted by: Doc | January 04, 2011 at 01:24 PM
"battery, a misdemeanor, in order for an arrest to be made, the crime must be witnessed by law enforcement, and arrest made, or citizens arrest made by victim. Neither of which is going to happen. You can't have a violation of probation based on that battery offense. The revocation would need to be based on some other condition".
Absolutely not true chris. Depending on injuries sustained, it can also be a felony. In Lohan's case, it could be pushed a felony because of her numerous arrests and probation status. ANY criminal offense while on probation can be grounds for revocation. Frankly, I wish they would lock her up for the next 3 years. Maybe then she would dry out.
Posted by: Rowwdy | January 04, 2011 at 01:29 PM
The media for all its worth is milking this cash cow till another celeb sensation appears in the horizon, the public has a love/hate obsession with these public personas and buitiful people like her are fodder for fans be it for better or for worst, its a feeding frenzy until the bait is gone. So feed away, finish this one and another will drop again in the water, and the vicious cycle goes on.
Posted by: Piranha | January 04, 2011 at 01:37 PM
I enjoy seeing LL movies. I hope she straightens out and gets to make a lot more of them. As much as I want to think she can do that without more "punishment," I have my doubts. So far, she seems like a loose canon.
I have no regard for Dawn Holland and that battery charge. That is a waste of money for the tax payers. Dawn Holland went on TMZ. That makes her what she is.
Good luck, Lindsay. I hope there is a bigger plan for your life than spending it in rehab time after time. Or in jail. Get straight, girl!!!
Posted by: Criminy | January 04, 2011 at 02:01 PM
As rebellious as Lindsay seems, she is more of a sad victim than a "spoiled brat." She was raised by exhibitionistic, toxic parents, and she will probably never be "normal" if she returns to that same invironment.
Lindsay should be sentenced to one year of Community Service in Haiti, and her parents should serve 5 years of Community Service in Outer Mongolia.
Posted by: Eve | January 04, 2011 at 02:15 PM
What do you mind Mel Gibson didn't assault anyone? As I understand it, he's accused of breaking his girlfriend's teeth. All Lohan did was grab a phone from someone. It seems really excessive to think someone should go to jail for that
Posted by: Laurel | January 04, 2011 at 02:19 PM
Put this dope addict in jail until she's not a dope addict anymore.
Posted by: Crazy Horse | January 04, 2011 at 02:28 PM