Lindsay Lohan needs to 'see how women who have fallen on real hard times have to live,' judge says

The judge in the Lindsay Lohan necklace theft case said she hopes the jail sentence and community service requirement she handed down Friday will change the troubled actress.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner ruled that Lohan had violated her probation by taking a necklace from a Venice jewelry store. She sentenced her to 120 days in jail and 480 hours of community service at a downtown women's center and the Los Angeles County morgue.

"Perhaps she might see how women who have fallen on real hard times have to live and maybe she will change," Sautner said.

The judge said Lohan only returned the necklace when she learned a search warrant was being served by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Lohan immediately said she would appeal the sentence. She was expected to be released on $75,000 bail.

Earlier in the day, Sautner reduced the charge the actress faces for allegedly stealing the necklace from a felony to a misdemeanor.

Prosecutor Danette Meyers said she will seek to overturn Sautner's decision on the misdemeanor charge, which would limit how long Lohan could serve in jail to no more than one year.

"The judge abused her discretion in this case," Meyers said. "It was a felony filing because the defendant was on probation.... She has violated on numerous occasions ... the evidence was incredibly strong."

The owner of the jewelry store testified Friday that 10 minutes after she closed her store Jan. 22, she noticed that Lohan had left with a pricey necklace.

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 --Richard Winton

Top image: In this courtroom sketch, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner is seen during a preliminary hearing for actress Lindsay Lohan at the Airport Courthouse.

Credit: Mona Edwards / Associated Press

Bottom image: Actress Lindsay Lohan in court.

Credit: Mona Edwards / Associated Press

Comments

[Zahdio]

Alright already. Who cares?!? Enough of her.

[DMAC]

She'll break the law in the future and the whole circus of paparazzi and media will start all over again. I'm willing to bet it'll be drug related. Watch.

[Mountainbob]

So in the way the jails work for celebrities in LA, this means she will be in jail for what, an hour and 20 minutes?

[thecanimal]

Lindsay used to be so pretty. Now she has those ugly lips and all this trouble.

[solohoh]

The judges decision is wrong. Lindsay Lohan is a product of American society. We are responsible for creating this irresponsible character and it is we who are on trial here. She deserves leniency and we deserve the chaos that is coming down the pipeline.

[Decent American]

Hey Judge - look up 487 of the Penal Code FELONY Grand Theft. I'm glad to see that rich white people still have their own laws as opposed to the rest of us in Los Angeles County.

[manomyth11]

4 months is too harsh for somebody who's not really a criminal, I've seen real criminals get lighter sentences for habitual crimes.

[Mary]

If this judge REALLY wants Lindsay to see how women in "hard times" live, she should have her live in a womens' shelter for four months, take away her cell phone, prohibit her from driving or having her vehicle with her, bar her from her home so she can't run back to the safety and security of her current destructive life, eat and sleep in that shelter, etc. Throw her into that kind of a life so she gets a TRUE understanding of how life is for the underprivileged--don't just let her dip her toe in by doing a few hours of "community service" per day... which, based on her past record, she's BOUND to find a way to avoid doing anyway!

[honolulu56]

She is an active alcoholic/ addict who will keep going until she is stopped. She is A danger to herself and anyone else she might hurt while drunk. There are plenty of pretty faces who don't need to be wasted to perform. Put her in jail or a real rehab for year and make it stick. This my sound harsh, but it will save her life!

[juswannateach]

Lindsay Lohan is alledged to have "stolen a necklace." If we are truly innocent til proven guilty, how is this a violation of her probation? She has not been convicted of a crime! Good luck Lindsay!

[Olden Atwoody]

Sautner is a pompous fool, assuming she is the smartest of all the other Judges that Lohan has faced. Actually, Sautner has strengthened the public perception of "Hollywood Justice", and as such, a tremendous insult to the very women she claims to empathize.

Lohan should have been immediately remanded, no-bail. That’s the only way she will 'learn'.

And, good move on dropping the felony to a misdemeanor. The loss to the shop was the retail price for a sale, not their wholesale cost, genius. They have acquired, inventoried and displayed the item, - thus additional costs incurred to date since acquisition. Judge Judy computes math problems better than this cow.

Foolish? No, I think Sautner is on the take. Dirty.

[marco]

This judge is a very smart woman. Bravo!...Ms. Lohan really needs to see the things the judge wants her to see; at the morgue and skid row.

[marco]

After reading all the posts for this Opinion I think most of you should remember the famous saying: "Vengeance is mine saeth the Lord"......

[Coriolana]

This judge is milking a case that is a no-brainer every step of the way. Where is the Bar Assn?

[Ron Sierra]

I feel that she has always been one of my favorite people and if she was to be available for love I would be first in line to try and win her devotion.