Prosecutor, Judge Object To Hilton Release

Sheriff's Department Says Heiress Will Be Under House Arrest For 40 Days

(CBS/AP)  The judge who sentenced Paris Hilton to jail and the prosecutor who pressed for her incarceration objected Thursday to her early release for an unspecified medical condition.

"The judicial process may have been improperly circumvented in this case," said City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo. "This explanation is puzzling. Los Angeles County jail medical facilities are well-equipped to deal with medical situations involving inmates."

Sheriff Lee Baca released Hilton early Thursday to serve 40 days at her Hollywood Hills home after she served three days of what was expected to be a 23-day stay for violating probation in a reckless driving case.

While Baca's spokesman said the judge who sentenced her had been consulted, he didn't mention that Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer objected to her release. When Sauer sentenced her last month he specifically said she could not do her time at home.

"He did not agree to the terms of release that the sheriff proposed," said Superior Court spokesman Allan Parachini.

But Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore noted it's not unusual for inmates to finish sentences under home confinement.

Activists and former inmates are speaking out against Hilton's transfer.

"If that had been me and I had a medical condition, they would have sent me to county medical. They have a facility in here, and then I would have been right back in my cell," released inmate LaToya Wilson told CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker.

"Paris Hilton got a free get out of jail card today by manipulating and using her celebrity status to get out of jail," said civil rights activist Najee Ali.

Even Al Sharpton is on his way to L.A. to protest celebrity injustice in front of Hilton's house.

In the last five years in LA County, more than 200,000 inmates have been released early. Because of prison overcrowding, the vast majority serve less than 10 percent of their sentences. But a quick medical release like Paris' is rare, Whitaker reports.

Hilton was sent home with an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet and must remain there for 40 days, according to sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore.

Whitmore says Hilton left the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood just after midnight.

She checked into the facility just after 11:30 p.m. Sunday to serve 23 days, down from the 45 days she was originally sentenced to.

Whitmore says Hilton's sentence will return to a 45-day term, with five days' credit for time served.

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Photos: Paris In Stripes

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Hilton will be under the supervision of the L.A. County probation department, Whitmore said.

Whitmore also said a medical issue was involved, but could not elaborate because of privacy issues. Overcrowding and a reported staph infection at the facility did not play a part in her reassignment, Whitmore said.

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Photos: Paris Hilton

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"I can't specifically talk about the medical situation other to say that, yes, that played a part in this," he said.

TMZ.com first reported that Hilton was released from jail early.

Hilton surrendered to authorities on Sunday with little fanfare after a surprise appearance earlier that day at the MTV Movie Awards, where she worked the red carpet in a strapless designer gown.

Hilton was housed in the "special needs" unit of the 13-year-old jail, separate from most of its 2,200 inmates. The unit contains 12 two-person cells reserved for police officers, public officials, celebrities and other high-profile inmates. She didn't have a cellmate.

After her first night in jail, Hilton's lawyer, Richard A. Hutton, said she was doing well under the circumstances.

"She's using this time to reflect on her life, to see what she can do to make the world better and hopefully, in my opinion, to change the attitudes that exist about her among many people," Hutton said after visiting Hilton.

When she was sentenced May 4, Sauer ruled that she would not be allowed any work release, furloughs or use of an alternative jail or electronic monitoring in lieu of jail.

Sheriff's officials had said she would serve about 23 days of her 45-day sentence behind bars because of state rules allowing shorter sentences for good behavior.

The star of "The Simple Life" reality TV show pleaded no contest to a reckless-driving charge in January and was sentenced to 36 months' probation. When she was later pulled over by the California Highway Patrol, Hilton was told that she was driving on a suspended license and signed a document acknowledging she was not to drive. She was then pulled over by sheriff's deputies on Feb. 27 and charged with violating probation.

[flora68]

QUOTE from "Trueprogress"-

"Hooray for Paris as a leader of WOMEN who have been abused by the MAN's SYSTEM! As a Professor of Woman's (sic) Study, at a Major IVY (sic)school I can bring some wisdom to this....All women should be released from our prisons, where they have become fodder for men and the court system ! My college classes are voluntarily funding a FREEDOM CIRCLE. The more money raised the higher the grade as it shows dedication. I also have all my student(sic) record all interactions with male faculty, and so far We have exposed 5 male professors as in apporpriate (sic), and have ruined the careers of 3, and working for 2 more ! The shame of this system. Hooray for Feminist Paris !
Posted by Trueprogress at 08:53 PM : Jun 07, 2007"

OK, "Trueprogress", you are the biggest f-ing phoney-baloney LIAR on the Internet!

There is NO WAY you are "a Professor of Woman's Study, at a Major IVY school" (Ha!), a feminist, or a professor of ANYTHING, ANYWHERE.

You sound more like a confused, immature pimple-faced adolescent dork with a Paris Hilton poster stuck to the closet door. I can't imagine that you're successfully fooling ANYONE; no educated person would hold your stated opinions or use your atrocious spelling and syntax.

Stop lying, stop enabling drunk drivers, and just shut up!

[cricketmk3]

That's hilarious hamiltongrad! She did not ask for media attention? She spends every night at clubs and restaurants where the paparazzi hang out. She craves media attention and surely pays a publicist big bucks to keep her in it. This is free publicity for her. Too bad she is *** it up by acting like a spoiled moron and making our opinion of her plummet.

[kinetickid]

Visit www.parisanklebracelet.com to show your Paris support.
Support Paris Hilton in Jail!

[elgraz]

Paris is a young misguided beautiful woman in trouble. Where the hell are her so called parents at this time ? As usual, the Paparazzi will hound her until she is dead or gone. Remember Diana and what happened to her. We have to hold the Media responsible for its selfish and irresponsible actions. Let's have some compassion for a person in trouble people.

[elgraz]

Don't start with the white justice bozo....you getting to look like the reverend?(my arse) Sharpton. Keep supporting him africans(not americans)he loves the suits you are giving him. That slime ball !!!!!!!!

[elgraz]

I'll volunteer to spend the time with her in her cell..........wow.....what a time !!!!!!!!!

[arohanui-2009]

Yes siree....only in Amerikey!!!!!
A spoilt, nasty, self serving, self centred, nasty piece of work who did the crime but not the time. Great message to send to society. It epitomises everything that stinks about justice and lack thereof. Pay as you go jail for the rich, stamp your spoilt little rich princess toes and receive a get out of jail free card and real incaceration for the masses. Watch out for Bentleys in 40 days folks!

[garsh548]

This is truly white justice at it's best.

[puzzler125]

It seems that most of you ignored that part about many "criminals" serving far less than the original sentence. Yes, she probably got out early for being Paris Hilton. Do you really think most people serve the entire sentence though? No! Actually I think there was no point in keeping her in jail any longer. I bet that was the lousiest three days of her life and she did learn something in the process.

[flora68]

IMO, the authorities out there are dangerously, stupidly star-struck (or hypnotized by $ or power or something), because rather than enforcing the law, they ENCOURAGE reckless, drunk driving by allowing hard-partying celebrities to speed around dangerously with total impunity. Not only should little Paris be doing a SOLID 180 days IN JAIL for her recklessness (and repeated disregard of her probation), but Mel F-ing GIBSON should STILL be doing time for HIS DUI (in which he drunkenly risked the public safety by doing 87mph in a 45 zone, subsequently resisted arrest, threatened the officers, and tried lamely to flee the scene). Folks, drunk drivers KILL people. I mean, duh! But did Mel do time? Noooo%u2026as I recall he paid a fine (that he couldn%u2019t have missed with his wealth) and put himself into some kind of outpatient, self-guided, self-improvement "treatment" program, didn't he? (Wonder how that's working out for him...)

Unless the authorities in the Hollywood area REALLY want reckless hard-partying drivers to immigrate to their freewheeling, no-jailing-rich-white-people zone, Paris will be back in jail ASAP; she can have her little tantrum or breakdown there. After all, there are people with AIDS doing time in almost every prison, with ZERO catered cupcakes. Jail won%u2019t do Paris any real harm- she needs to deal with the consequences of her actions for once. And things like this MUST be dealt with differently from now on; people are outraged, and with good reason.

[tmn]

Hasn't she been through enough already? Leave her alone! As America's socialite, she should never have been sent to jail in the first place.

[menageri]

This is disgusting! I'm glad that the judge and prosecutor are upset and I hope they blast the sherrif's department. This is a clear case of money and celebrity buying different treatment at the hand's of law enforcement. I am completely disapointed with the LA Sherrif's Department and I am willing to bet that their rank and file members are even more unhappy.

[valmitch1]

WHAT A JOKE! POOR LIL RICH GIRL. MONEY CAN EVEN BUY YOU FREEDOM!!! WHERE IS THE JUSTICE????

[valmitch1]

This is craaaaazy! Poor lil rich girl! This just shows people money can even by you freedom! Medical condition my A--!!!!!!!!

[dennisfxdwg]

Wake up America. Our justice system has long been peverted by the famous and wealthy. Lets all pray she dosen't kill someone driving intoxicated, as five days(wink-wink) of jail time will not teach her anything. She should be ashamed along with her parents.

[ssporleder]

The most exciting moment was about 10:30 a.m. when a Mrs. Beasley's Gourmet Cupcakes van pulled up and Anthony Crisafulli delivered three containers of the treats to the house.

"She hasn't eaten well while she's been away," Crisafulli said, noting that Hilton had called the Beverly Hills store this morning. She is a regular customer, he said, noting her favorite cupcakes are strawberry and mocha.

Yup, she's "suffering" there.

[likeitis5050]

Noooooo...no special treatment here. What a crock. She should be ashamed. She has no pride at all. She was a laughing stock at the last award show she attended. Thunderous applause when it was mentioned she would be going to jail. What would that say to anyone else? She is pathetic. Her own community of celebrities don't even support her. And now she's out after serving barely 5 days. Hopefully she will hide out for a year to give everyone a break from watching her pose and preen in front of cameras.

[erasmus6]

Stress can also bring out herpes.

[trailboss49]

The USA has the best legal system which money can buy. What we do not have is a justice system.

[ssporleder]

LOS ANGELES %u2014 The Los Angeles City Attorney's office doesn't get no respect.

The city's top prosecutor, Rocky Delgadillo has tried over the years to show he doesn't give celebrities special treatment, and now his office feels great disappointment with the sheriff's decision to release the hotel heiress and allow her to spend the rest of her sentence wearing an ankle bracelet in her mansion.

Delgadillo's office, which prosecutes misdemeanors %u2014 including scores of celebrity DUI cases %u2014 wanted Paris to serve the full 45 days. Delgadillo didn't get his way, but he was satisfied that she was ordered to spend at least 23 days in the not-so-glammer-slammer.

Now his office feels that Hilton's early release undermines his efforts to apply "equal justice."

A previous "slap in the face" for Delgadillo was the case of actress Michelle Rodriguez, who had been in trouble numerous times, including DUIs and a hit and run, but served less than a day in jail.

Another is "Blackhawk Down" star Tom Sizemore, who has walked out of court countless times despite repeated arrests for, among other things, methamphetamine abuse.

The sheriff's department makes every decision regarding incarceration, so Delgadillo will not make a public stink about this.

But sources say that he and his deputies are wondering, "What's the point of prosecuting?"