Judge to Lindsay Lohan: 'You will be going to jail' if case is settled
Judge Keith Schwartz said Wednesday at Airport Courthouse that he will send actress Lindsay Lohan to jail if she accepts a deal offered by prosecutors.
Although terms of that deal were not immediately made public, Schwartz said Lohan would have to plead guilty or no contest to charges. Prosecutors have alleged that she stole a necklace from a Venice jewelry store.
"This case does involve jail time -- period," Schwartz said. "If you plead in front of me -- if this case resolves in front of me -- you are going to jail. Period. It may be an issue as to amount of time."
Schwartz said that if Lohan rejects the offer the case will be set for a preliminary hearing in front of another judge. She must decide by her next court date on March 10.
Schwartz said he plans to treat Lohan like any other "John Doe" or "Jane Doe." He did say that he suspects Lohan and her attorney, Shawn Holley, will reject the prosecution's offer.
The last time Lohan appeared before Schwartz, he had warned her not to push her luck.
"You're no different than anyone else," Schwartz said at the time. "If you violate the law, I will remand you and set no bail, and your attorney won't be successful this time."
Lohan has been charged with stealing a $2,500 necklace from a Venice jewelry store. The felony grand theft charges are by far the most serious she's faced, and if convicted, could bring her significant jail time. Lohan has pleaded not guilty.
Law enforcement sources told The Times that the case against Lohan includes store surveillance video showing the actress wearing the necklace. Paparazzi photos taken days later also show the actress wearing the necklace. The case file also includes statements from people who were inside the store at the same time as Lohan, said the sources, who spoke on the condition that they not be named because the case was ongoing.
Lohan has been in and out of court and rehab over the last two years. She spent three months at the rehab center in Rancho Mirage under orders from Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Elden S. Fox, who spared the actress jail time in October after Lohan had tested positive for drugs while on probation in a DUI case. If she is convicted in the necklace theft, she would serve jail time for that crime and also be eligible for additional detention for violating her probation.
Riverside County prosecutors said they are still considering whether to file charges against her for allegedly shoving an employee at the Betty Ford clinic last year. The employee reported that Lohan had assaulted her but has since said she does not want to press charges.
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-- Richard Winton
EDITOR'S PICKS:
HA! Off to Ironwood with you missy..... ABOUT TIME!
Posted by: Winski | February 23, 2011 at 12:03 PM
If Lindsay Lohan was 3-years old we would describe her behavior as trying to get attention. Her brain, for whatever reason, does not appear to functioning properly. Why else would someone with her looks, talent and professional opportunities continuously sabotage her career and jeopardize her life?
She needs intensive therapy, not jail. In her case, who could doubt a diminished capacity plea?
Posted by: Bobe | February 23, 2011 at 12:04 PM
Jail time?! HA! She'll be freed after 20 minutes.
Posted by: FR415 | February 23, 2011 at 12:05 PM
How many times can an average everyday person appear before a Judge with these same charges, and how much jail time would they receive?...This woman gets not even a slap on the hand each time but free passes to continue with her lifestyle no matter how many times criminal behaviors she exhibits....shm, a waste of taxpayers money,Judges time and Prosecuters must feel like why should they even show up but they better because they would definitely go to Jail....So Money talks for our judicial system when it concerns celebrities of a certain race?
Posted by: Mabel | February 23, 2011 at 12:10 PM
Okay...
I f this person wasn't a celebrity, her whole body of criminal offenses wouldn't create a mosquito f*art in a hurricane. We have multiple-homicide offenders kicked out onto the streets every few days.
Does everyone here REALLY care about her and want to stop Lindsay Lohan from committing more criminal offense (as opposed to simply given you a click-on in the news)?
Then here's how: if she's found guilty, sentece her to the maximum penalty under the law and let her serve her time.
Posted by: LALfansince1961 | February 23, 2011 at 12:11 PM
One thing that most definitely separates celebrities from the normal folk -- we don't get jewelry or clothing lent to us so that we can be photographed wearing it.
Lindsay claims that she thought this was the case. They let her walk out of the store wearing the necklace. It seems they could have given her the impression that they were lending it to her, if they allowed her to do that.
Of course nobody is going to lend me a $2,500 or $900 or $800 necklace, whatever that thing is worth. (The value is being contested as well.)
But that's because photographers don't follow me around and show the world everything I'm wearing.
So in this case there is a legitimate argument that celebrities are treated differently.
They do get to borrow things from stores, and it's a legitimate question whether she and the store didn't just have a misunderstanding over what was being agreed to when they allowed her to leave that store with the necklace still around her neck.
Posted by: Patricia | February 23, 2011 at 12:17 PM
Maybe she is going for that Robert Downey Jr. method of reinventing herself when she gets out of jail....Just Sayin
Posted by: 1life2live | February 23, 2011 at 12:26 PM
So from whom did she steal that pendant she is wearing in the photo?
Posted by: BillyShields | February 23, 2011 at 12:42 PM
This young woman has been given chance after chance to reform and stay out of trouble, yet, she somehow feels that she is exempt from bad behavior.
It's now time for a 'wake up' to reinforce the fact that she is and will be accountable for anti-social, destructive and lawless behavior--hopefully, if she is convicted, or plea bargains, the jail time will allow her to reassess her life and let her move forward on a positive note.
Failure to take decisive action, assuming conviction, could very well save this woman's life.
Posted by: hartsf | February 23, 2011 at 12:53 PM
This young woman has been given chance after chance to reform and stay out of trouble, yet, she somehow feels that she is exempt from bad behavior.
It's now time for a 'wake up' to reinforce the fact that she is and will be accountable for anti-social, destructive and lawless behavior--hopefully, if she is convicted, or plea bargains, the jail time will allow her to reassess her life and let her move forward on a positive note.
Failure to take decisive action, assuming conviction, could very well save this woman's life.
Posted by: hartsf | February 23, 2011 at 12:53 PM
It doesn't matter how much jail time LL is sentenced to if the Sheriff's Department is just going to turn around and let her back out.
That's always been the real problem with this case. The Sheriff doesn't have the judges' backs. He won't leave celebrity defendants in jail for the full amount of time that they are sentenced to serve.
Posted by: Bradford Talamon | February 23, 2011 at 01:04 PM
ALL TOGETHER NOW...... nothing is going to happen to her! ;o)
Posted by: dee gee | February 23, 2011 at 01:25 PM
It's clear that the judge has it in for Lindsay. The DA's office in LA deserves the reputation for being the most incompetent. The DA's office should leave Lindsay alone, and go after some real criminals.
Posted by: Tony C | February 23, 2011 at 02:12 PM
The judge sounds arrogant. Do your job and keep your ego out of it, please.
Posted by: Bob | February 23, 2011 at 03:28 PM
She'll be out running the streets in no time.
Posted by: Ray | February 23, 2011 at 03:42 PM
Sure. LiLo is a dope who badly needs a good therapist. But what effect does being a celebrity have on the administration of justice in the US? Currently the US is prosecuting Roger Clemens over steroid use, while the people who churned, skimmed, and crashed the economy and walked away with billions and billions are going scott-free. As chronicled by the country's most honest journalist:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/why-isnt-wall-street-in-jail-20110216?page=1
Posted by: ms | February 23, 2011 at 04:19 PM
We have the best government money can buy and the best judicial system money can buy.
So vote Republican and make sure it stays that way.
Posted by: affableman | February 23, 2011 at 04:26 PM
I'm having a little trouble following this - is the Judge saying that if she pleads guilty / no-contest in a deal related to the theft charge, he's going to send her to jail for violating her earlier probation? Or is he saying if she takes a deal on the theft charges, he's going to send her to jail for the theft charges regardless of the terms of the deal that she and the prosecutors agree to?
Posted by: Marvin | February 23, 2011 at 04:32 PM
It seems this young lady suffers from bipola disorder. That is the only explanation for her behavior. I have sympathy for Lindsay's parents who can only stand by and watch their daughter destroy is herself.
Posted by: gbed | February 24, 2011 at 04:31 AM