Lindsay Lohan is sentenced to 120 days in jail for violating her probation in necklace theft case [Updated]
A judge ruled Friday that Lindsay Lohan violated her probation by taking a necklace at a Venice jewelry store and sentenced her to 120 days in jail.
Lohan also was sentenced to 480 hours of community service at a downtown women's center and the Los Angeles County morgue.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner 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. [Updated, 4:45 p.m.: Lohan was expected to be released on $75,000 bail.]
The change greatly reduces the amount of jail time the star could face if convicted. It also opens the door to possible settlement talks.
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.
[Updated, 5:06 p.m.: "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 a Venice jewelry store testified Friday that 10 minutes after she closed her store Jan. 22, she noticed that Lohan had left with a pricey necklace.
RELATED:
Shop owner testifies she noticed necklace was missing 10 minutes after closing
Lohan almost left jewelry store with diamond earring, saleswoman testifies
Lohan could face employee of jewelry store accusing her of necklace theft
-- Richard Winton
Photo: Actress Lindsay Lohan arrives at the Airport Courthouse. Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times
EDITOR'S PICKS:
About time. Thank God this judge was not afraid of Lindsay's mom like all the other judges have been. And thank God Lindsay looks nice in orange.
Posted by: PhillipP | April 22, 2011 at 04:45 PM
I'll believe when I see it. I expect a report of overcrowding to conveniently be made once she's taken into custody. The judicial system, as it pertains to celebrities in Los Angeles, is an absolute farce.
Posted by: Mcgibby | April 22, 2011 at 04:47 PM
The law applies equally to everyone. No one is above the law. Nixon found that out too. Good for the judge, LL belongs in jail, she violated her probation.
Posted by: PGelsman | April 22, 2011 at 04:53 PM
Hollywood celebrities never have to accept personal responsibility for wrongdoing, but the rest of us do. Had she been a nobody, she would be doing at least a year in prison by now if not longer. Her lawyer should be disbarred.
Posted by: phoenixandrew | April 22, 2011 at 04:55 PM
I love you Lindsey !!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: joe | April 22, 2011 at 04:57 PM
Who cares
Posted by: BOB MEYER | April 22, 2011 at 04:59 PM
good!!!
Posted by: ted | April 22, 2011 at 05:00 PM
This is a travesty, a miscarriage of justice...I'm shocked and appalled
Posted by: North of Sunset | April 22, 2011 at 05:10 PM
Anyone wanna bet that she never serves a day?
Posted by: Pat | April 22, 2011 at 05:14 PM
Sometimes people must stay in jail to really appreciate and take their freedom seriously. I feel sorry for her because she is beautiful and an excellent actress who is a lost soul. God be with her.
Posted by: Bev Owen | April 22, 2011 at 05:18 PM
It's ridiculous that this be reduced from a felony theft to a misdemeanor. If anyone else did the same thing, there would be no consideration of reduction for a multiple probation violator.
Posted by: Justin Sullivan | April 22, 2011 at 05:33 PM
This is so sad.
Posted by: Lupe Gonzalez | April 22, 2011 at 05:36 PM
Cant we put her in jail for a year??? I mean for her own good and the public's??
Posted by: Cosmo Kramer | April 22, 2011 at 05:39 PM
If they keep letting her off She will just keep doing these things. She does not appear to have any personal accountability. Everything always seems to be someone elses fault but her own.
Posted by: Tisha Mcgraw | April 22, 2011 at 05:39 PM
If she were black or a Latina -- wealthy or not -- she'd have already spent a lot of time in the lock-up.
""I see the intent here," Sautner said. "I see a level of brazenness with 'Let me see what I can get away with here.'"
No kidding.
Posted by: Tom | April 22, 2011 at 05:50 PM
The standard sentence for an African-American male in an LA court for the crime of grand theft is 16 months in prison. Must be nice to be white, pretty, and famous!
Posted by: OMG | April 22, 2011 at 05:52 PM
I am soooooooo bored with this story. Please, just drop it. I don't want to hear her name again....minor celebrety with nothing to offer except examples of how not to behave. Why is this news????????
Posted by: Marcy G | April 22, 2011 at 05:53 PM
doesn't state law say what is a misdeameanor or a felony it's the cost of the item stolen, are all Judges going to make all roberies/burglaries misdeameanors? Isn't the money value placed at $950.00?
Posted by: Lupe | April 22, 2011 at 05:56 PM
hey LA, do you have any idea how much the rest of the country couldn't care less about this pathetic person? We are not fascinated....we are not interested...we couldn't care less. THIS IS BORING. IRREVELANT!
Posted by: Marcy G | April 22, 2011 at 05:59 PM
I just don't understand it. How does she keep escaping punishment?
Posted by: Rich | April 22, 2011 at 06:00 PM
I had a mighty ol' LOL when I read Ms. Meyer's forlorn contention that the judge "abused her discretion". That is particularly rich coming from a D.A.'s office which has one of the highest reported rates of prosecutorial misconduct in the country.
Posted by: Sean Roaney | April 22, 2011 at 06:07 PM
ZZZzzzzzzzzzz....
Posted by: Dave Smith | April 22, 2011 at 06:08 PM
WTH??? An hour and fifteen minutes and no comments yet??? People, where is the love for LiLo????
Posted by: Cosmo Kramer | April 22, 2011 at 06:19 PM
Lock this monkey up and throw away the key. Taxpayers' moneys can be used for better things
Posted by: Bat man | April 22, 2011 at 06:20 PM
So is hard labor off the table?
Posted by: MikeOHara | April 22, 2011 at 06:27 PM