Hilton to go down for 23 days

Paris Hilton will serve just 23 days of her 45-day sentence for violating her probation on a drink-driving rap, the BBC reports. Authorities in California have confirmed that the highly-talented heiress has been awarded a "credit for good behaviour" on several grounds, including the rather marvellous fact that she "had appeared …

[Anonymous Coward]

Superb!

If the competition for "Best Reg Headline" was still going, this would get my vote.

Still laughing now...

[Rich]

I can't begin to express my disgust...

...at how a woman with a complete disregard for the law, a woman who has driven dangerously on camera, and been caught drink-driving no less than two times, gets off scot-free like this, and even worse has the bare-faced cheek to lobby a petition trying to get her off the hook, calling her conviction "malicious and unecessary"! A "normal" person would get their license revoked at the very least as well as spending time in the joint, but Paris gets her sentence cut in half for "good behaviour"? It is an insult not only to the people who get convicted of drink-driving, but also to the families of those who have lost loved ones to it.

Another example of the disgraceful state of U.S. law, and the preferential treatment it gives those with power and money. As bad as this sounds, I do hope she drink drives again, and I do hope she has a real accident as a result. I don't think anything less will get through to her.

As you can tell i'm severely disgusted.

[Anonymous Coward]

She thinks she's above the law

That whole pertition thing seem like she thinks she's above the law.

The judge should have come down harder on her for that, not let her off lighter.

[Adam]

Pathetic

She was even photographed a few days after she was sentenced driving her car.

I suppose that qualifys as good behaviour, and being a good role model, breaking the law time and time again.

Americans make me sick.

[Anonymous Coward]

Agreed

This is completely ridiculous. Why should she get preferential treatment just because she is famous? She should serve her full sentence. It sounds to me like the judge was under pressure and used any old excuse to reduce the sentence, such as 'she turned up to court'. This does not count as good behaviour, this counts as... turning up.

Stupid bint.

[Sampler]

Porridge

Just watched a re-run of the classic where the judge moved in with the pair for the episode.

As he leaves he remarks upon the difference in law for those who can't afford it and those who can.

Some things never change.

[Dan]

FAO: Yousef

It sounds like preferential treatment but its not. They are separated as putting them with the other inmates is too dangerous. Stick a Police Officer or Mob Boss or celeb in with regular hardened criminals............not going to last too long in there. Big fish outside suddenly becomes tiny fish amongst sharks !!

They are still treated the same as every other prisoner. Although I agree her only having to do half her sentence is a disgrace. Especially as she was video'd and photographed driving around 2 days after being given the 45 day sentence !!

[Zach Williams]

What a crock of BS

She is not any type of an artist. she does not deserve the celebrity status. She is the daughter of a father who owns a hotel chain that makes a lot of money. She should get the full 45 days as any one would. This is a travisty of our justice system.

[adnim]

"highly-talented heiress"

Come on reg, call a spade a spade. Or is your tongue firmly embedded in cheek Lester?

Another case of preferential treatment for the financially privileged.

[Anonymous Coward]

and hopefully...

.. at the end of her little vacation, she will be so eager to get back on the sauce that she'll do a proper job and wrap herself around a lamp post driving home drunk from the party.

without injuring anyone else of course ;)

[Anonymous Coward]

Get over it!

Get over it, money gets you out of these things, its a fact of life.

[Thomas Jolliffe]

That's their look-out...

"It sounds like preferential treatment but its not. They are separated as putting them with the other inmates is too dangerous. Stick a Police Officer or Mob Boss or celeb in with regular hardened criminals............not going to last too long in there. Big fish outside suddenly becomes tiny fish amongst sharks !!"

They should have thought of that before they got caught.

[Paul]

‘Hilton to go down for 23 days’ ???

Is this another sordid attempt to drum up more vacuous fame? Surely we've had enough videos of her released.

[Anonymous Coward]

Not Really as Special as it Sounds

I don't really think she's getting that much special treatment. It happens all the time that normal citizens are shown leniency by the courts. If its your first or second offense, its not chronic yet. If there weren't any major damage you caused, then they're not out to ruin your life.

Twenty years ago, getting caught drunk driving would have gotten you two warnings from a bemused cop. Now, drunk driving is big bucks for the cops. The first offense gets you a mandatory $5000 in fines. The second, $10,000, and a possibility of jail time. That's a good thing, as drunk driving is really bad. But keep it in perspective, and realize that the police are getting a lot of that money, so they don't give warnings.

Very often, jail time is something they can hang over your head, but most people end up going to a halfway house, or paying a larger fine. Jail time is a very significant penalty, whether its a day or a week, or three weeks.

Look, she messed up twice. She's going to do 23 days in jail. I guarantee the guards aren't going to treat her (or anybody else) special. Its the bologna sandwiches and orange drink diet. If you think 23 days is not a lot, try it. And if she gets into any trouble again, the mandatory punishments increase sharply. And then no judge will be able to giver her leniency.

[Dan]

Why I oughta

Lets face it, the kind of bird Hilton does will be a great deal different to anything the rest of us might face. But if it wipes that disgustingly smug, self-satisfied grin off her face for even a few minutes then all is not lost.

This wretched woman has absolutely zero redeeming qualities in terms of personality or talent, it is only by wealth and association she remains in the public eye. No-one with half a brain stem actually takes her seriously, she is bereft of even the merest shred of dignity and will one day truly come the cropper she so richly deserves.

Next up: Pete Dhoerty.

[Clay Landis]

Thats how we do it in the US

Yeah, disgusted with the US? You should try living here. The celebrity worship is appalling. Some collie faced tramp gets off with a half sentence. American justice, the best money can buy.

"highly-talented heiress" I am still laughing at that. Nice one Reg.

[Peter Redding]

I bet it's a nice "prison" too

Probably better than my house.

Is being extremely stupid now being counted as "highly talented"?

[Jack Pastor]

Americans vs, the American Government

Please don't blame this travesty of justice on the American people..... and in return, we won't blame you Brits for keeping Harry out of Iraq while our sons and daughters from both sides of the pond continue to be slaughtered by insurgents in a country we both should not have invaded.

The U.S. has not cornered the market on "Special Treatment" for celebrities and the ultra-wealthy.

[Will Leamon]

Such Intelligence

Just goes to show how ignorant peeps can be about the American legal system. Almost no one serves a full sentence in this country. Good behavior always kicks in, even for the worst offenders, due to the fact that prisons are so over crowded. You basically have to shank someone to serve the full sentence. Jesus hasn't 'The Wire' made it over to the UK yet?

Hilton is not being shown special favors in fact she is receiving the same treatment any old crack whore would. And they have to isolate her from gen. pop due to the fact that someone would kill her just for the book deal. A prison still has the responsibility to keep prisoners alive for Christ's sake.

Though I do get the feeling from these comments that you guys would prefer she just be shot on television for amusement. How dare she be born to those retardly rich parents of her's. Of course she should be punished for that!

[Kurt Guntheroth]

disgusting, but...

Being a celebrity makes you a target too. A cop in jail has his life at risk. We don't give the death penalty for taking a bribe (or whatever). A hottish heiress might be a target for various kinds of assault. While you might find that appropriate, it isn't necessarily *just*. These criminals aren't escape or violence risks, so they won't trash a reasonably comfortable facility (which is also less expensive to operate). Finally, having all their choices taken away, and being forced to stay clean and sober for a month may actually have a deterrent effect against future crime. Reckless stupidity amongst the rich is just not the same caliber of criminal act as rape, murder, or robbery.

Its mostly just pathetic.

[CoZmo]

I just hope

FOX turns this into the next big reality series. "Next of FOX, The Prison Life. This week, Paris drops the soap."

I wonder what she'd have to do to get thrown into a real prison. Shoot up a mall? Run over the President's dog? Sleep with Osama?

[Anonymous Coward]

Whats that smell?

smells like a bribe....

With all that money lying around.... I'm willing to bet someone somewhere got bought off.

Anyway.... to add to the commenter pointing out the severeity of drunk driving... he forgot to mention that while they get a ton of cash for which exponentially goes up <in a sense> for each additional offense.... but its also a permanant mark on your record...a CRIMINAL mark.... nothing weak like a felony or anything like that. The State of Californ"ah" takes a very stern look at DUI's (except when it comes to this particular case).

Alot of what is going on is lawyer-ing that obviously is good at lying.

Either way this will effect her for the rest of her life.... would make a funny "biography" when she's old and dead

HAH!

[Anonymous Coward]

Swap?

"Please don't blame this travesty of justice on the American people..... and in return, we won't blame you Brits for keeping Harry out of Iraq"

O. K. then Jack, how about a swap - we get rid of Harry for a few weeks in one of your jails and you can ship the princess off to the front line.

We tell our press that Harry's gone off to war and Paris can go and entertain the troops - which side, I'm not sure.

[Anonymous Coward]

Dan: It's called... a deterrant

The usual criminal scum probably don't have two braincells to rub together.

"Intelligent" people like police men, judges, Paris Hiton, etc, have at least 3 brain cells - so they know more than most what is wrong and what is right.

Jail is meant to be a deterrent. If you make it soft for "intelligent" people, er.. it ain't a deterrent.

[Paul]

Are you trying to fix the wrong problem?

Surely the problem is not that the, er, highly talented young lady is going to a prison where she won't be stabbed or raped - the problem is that a lot of other people are being sent to places where they WILL be stabbed or raped.

Sexual assualt should not be part of any civilised justice system, yet it seems to be a de facto (though not de jure) part of the sentence for too many offenders. Whatever happened to making the punishment fit the crime?

[Anonymous Coward]

nice one, Adam

americans may make you sick, but british police may shot you and walk away, no doubt laughing.. talk about justice! one of these allows you to walk away and laugh at the insanity, while the other just makes your family, and all of us who remember when England was, well England, cry.

i wonder when, if ever, we will put a stop to it! it will go on until the people do something about it. Blair is almost gone and Bush will not be around much longer - god (or someone) help us if we don't prevent someone as bad from taking their place.

[Anonymous Coward]

Have to agree with 'nice one, Adam'

It's clear that the UK police are above the law and garner special treatment. Many many deaths on the A77 between Glasgow and Stranraer and absolutely nothing gets done until a policeman gets killed.

Shoot in cold blood an innocent guy who just happens to have a rucksack ? No problem - just give the special handshake and you won't even get suspended without pay.

Park up where you want on a motorway? On a roundabout? As long as you're in a machomobile with the blues and twos you're absolutely fine.

[Morely Dotes]

USSR vs. The West

Back before the Fall of The USSR, we here in the West liked to pretend that our system was socially superior to the Soviet system, and that justice was actually meted our to rich and poor alike on our side of The Iron Curtain. Those in power in the USSR could do anything and get away with it, and those who dared protest, or who simply wouldn't go along, would be hauled up in front of a kangaroo court and shipped off to the Gulag.

Now, of course, it becomes obvious that the only real difference is how "power" is defined. In the West, power is measured in dollars.

And, of course, we're allowed to bitch about it in public without being hauled off to the Gulag (unless we choose to complain in such a way that the Department of Fatherland Security can railroad us into Guantanamo). Soviet citizens couldn't do that.

[Aubry Thonon]

Re: Not Really as Special as it Sounds

"But keep it in perspective, and realize that the police are getting a lot of that money, so they don't give warnings."

I don't know how it works over in the States, but here in Oz the Police don't see that money - all paid fines go to the Treasury Department, where it just gets bundled with the rest of the Taxes and Fees and Levies and....

[kain preacher]

highly-talented heiress

what tallent.

Oh and she is being seprated for her saftey.

being rich is not the only reason to be put in admin seg.

by the way being in admin seg means you are locked down 23 hours . hmm sounds like fun dont it

[Anonymous Coward]

Paris Hilton

My, we're so shocked by this... it's nothing unusual. This is pretty much how it always works. People with money, people with some sort of clout or influence, are placed in special areas. This happens ALL THE TIME, not just for Paris Hilton, but for many privileged people. Really the only difference here is that this is more public than most such punishments.

Money always seems to find a way to make your life more comfortable, even if you have to do time.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Americans vs, the American Government

Jack, may I also remind you that only one son/daugher of a member of the US House or Senate has done any kind of tour in Iraq or Afghanistan. All the others have chickened out and found a way, with daddys help, to keep their limbs and lives safe and dry at home.

Harry should be given credit for trying but with such a high profile, and based on the known risks, sending him to Iraq would have put his unit in unwarranted danger.

I do agree with you about the credibility of invading in the first place.

When are you americans going to impeach Bush for all the criminal acts he has perpetrated during his reign?

[Anonymous Coward]

this makes me sooo mad!

our system is just as bad.

im a time served ex-con and i know certain types of people do get preferrencial treatment. it annoys me that ex-police always get cushy sentences whereas ordinary joe bloggs get slammed. i was a cat d prisoner - thats NO DANGER to society (i was in on a drugs charge) - yet spent a year in a cat A jail (for multiple murderers and very voilent people). wheras sex offenders, police and judicery all get cat d open prison holiday camps.

then rich people have the gall to comment on how 'easy' prison is - of course it is - you dont do REAL prison - i was locked up 23 hours a day, had 1 60 minute visit a MONTH, unlike them watching tv, going home at weekends, ORDERING IN PIZZA!

then i get to watch a friend of mine - christopher alder - die on CCTV in hull police station as the police just watch him die and laugh - yet nothing is done to them, they didnt even untie his hands!

for me police and the judicery should get DOUBLE that of normal people. they are paid to be whiter than white and should be slammed when they are not. why should i have to risk life and limb for a political crime (the medical association still class E as less damaging than tobacco) yet a padeophile is heavily protected on secure wings and the police can sit and watch tv in a min security 'home at weekends' holiday camp.

all cons should be put in places that reflect the crime - if you are cat d you should be in a less dangerous place than a cat a jail.

the law in an ass and you can buy your way out of anything, the UK is just as bad as the USA - over here we dont even jail them (ok, apart from jeffrey archer - who was a purger and robbed £1m - yet still did less time than me!)

[derek anderson]

this could be bad..

Won't this shocking reduction in jail time adversely affect the sales of her upcoming new movie "one tight in paris - girls of cell block lik"?

If i was her agent I'd appeal - unless of course this is a cunning publicity stunt to ensure she ends up caged with lindsay blowhan for the double whammy "ignorance gone wild"

My heart really does go out to whomever gets locked up with this para... erm socialite for 23 hours of the day - I wouldnt do that to my worst enemy.

satanswombat

[ugly_truth]

This is another reason why the western world sucks

What a farce, how the hell did we end up like this? Who is in charge here??? I'll kick you in the god-damn nuts you sonofab1tch...