Lohan gets jail sentence for probation violation
Several bailiffs led Lindsay Lohan from a Los Angeles courtroom on Friday after a judge who heard evidence against the actress in a theft case sentenced her to 120 days in jail for a probation violation.The actress, who often conferred with her attorney throughout a preliminary hearing, showed little reaction as Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner gave her ruling.
Lohan's attorney, Shawn Holley, said she will appeal, allowing the Lohan, 24, to post bail, which was set at $75,000.
The "Mean Girls" star also was ordered to serve more than 400 hours of community service, including 300 hours at a women's center.
It will be Lohan's fourth jail stint.
The ruling came after Sautner reduced Lohan's grand theft case down to a misdemeanor and after prosecutors gave their case against the actress.
Sautner ruled that prosecutors had shown that Lohan violated her probation on a 2007 drunken driving case. The judge refused to dismiss the theft case against Lohan, who entered a not guilty plea Friday.
"I see the intent here," Sautner said. "I see a level of brazenness with `Let me see what I can get away with here.'"
But Sautner also said she often sees more serious cases that get reduced to lesser charges and that she wanted to give the Lohan "an opportunity."
Lohan has been a courthouse fixture since last May when she missed a hearing in her drunken driving case. Since then, two judges have sent her to jail twice and rehab, also twice.
Deputy District Attorney Danette Meyers on Friday called four witnesses, including two police officers who handled the stolen necklace case.
One officer received the necklace from Lohan's assistant after detectives obtained a search warrant — which was never served — to retrieve it from Lohan's home. The investigative detective also testified that she verified the actress wore the necklace days after it was taken and was photographed with it by paparazzi.
Lohan made three visits within a week to a jewelry store that accused her of stealing the necklace but never purchased anything before leaving with the item, the shop's owner testified.
Sofia Kaman said she waited a day to report the necklace stolen because Lohan had told her she would return the next day to purchase a ring. The actress never returned. The first time Kaman saw Lohan since the Jan. 22 store visit was Friday.
Kaman says she did not have any agreement with Lohan allowing her to leave the store with the necklace.
Lohan was wearing two of her own necklaces when entered the store, and she wore both pieces to court on Friday, taking them off at one point while her attorney cross-examined Kaman.
Holley showed Kaman the necklaces and questioned her about why she didn't notice the actress was still wearing the store's necklace, even though Lohan's neck — and by Holley's description, cleavage — were clearly visible.
"I wasn't looking at her chest," Kaman said. "I was looking at her face."
Holley's cross-examination of Kaman was at times testy, with the judge warning both the store owner and Holley to be more respectful.
Holley had planned to call the actress' assistant, but opted not to have her testify.
On Wednesday, Fiore Films announced it had cast the actress to play the wife of John Gotti Jr., the son of the infamous mob boss dubbed the "Teflon Don," in a biopic of the family. The project, title, "Gotti: Three Generations," is scheduled to begin shooting later this year in Lohan's native New York.
In an interview with the AP, Lohan said she was eager to put her court cases behind her and once again be known as an actress.
"I'm really excited to be back on set and clear up all the misinterpretations about me and show this is what I love to do," Lohan said.
"I think in the past, I had a lot of distractions," she said. "I've learned a lot. I've lived a lot. When I'm on set, it's about the film."