Ironically, fresh publicity may enhance Paris Hilton's quasi-career, as the L.A. City Attorney challenges the Sheriff's decision to let Hilton serve the remaining 40 days of her jail sentence on mansion-arrest. A hearing is set for today.
The public is outraged over what seems to be special legal-system treatment for celebrities. We learned of that possibility 10+ years ago (O.J. Simpson) and more recently via Mel Gibson's DUI arrest, after which Gibson's anti-Semitic slurs were ordered removed from the arrest report.
Hilton's release was based on an undisclosed medical problem (Los Angeles Times). To that, Sheriff's Deputy Union head Steve Remige said: "Every jail facility has a medical unit attached to it. If a medical condition arises that those units can't handle we have a jail ward at County-USC Hospital." (LA Times)
Hilton could have avoided jail by simply following the terms of her DUI-related probation, which included a suspended license. Instead, law enforcement officers caught Hilton driving three times during the suspension, the equivalent of giving the court the finger. Talk Left posted debate on legal issues and links to court documents.
UPDATE: according to the Washington Post, Hilton is being allowed to "call in to her Friday court hearing by phone instead of appearing in person."
UPDATE #2: according to CNN and the Washington Post, the court has insisted that Hilton actually show up in court for the hearing.
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