Lindsay Lohan, "Don't Push Your Luck," Says Calif. Judge in Necklace Theft Case
(CBS/AP) Lindsay Lohan pled not guilty to a felony grand theft charge Wednesday and was released from police custody shortly after posting bail; however, the judge warned the headline-making actress to toe the line between now and her next courtroom appearance or else she may not be free for long.
Lohan's arraignment on a charge that she stole a "one of a kind" $2,500 necklace from an upscale jeweler in Venice, California was not the first time a judge threatened to throw the beleaguered actress in jail, but it was the first time a judge wielded enough power to do so.
"You're in a different situation now that a felony has been filed," Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Keith Schwartz told Lohan.
"Everybody else has to follow the law," Schwartz said. "You're no different than anyone else. So please, don't push your luck."
After two stints in rehab and in jail, a battery accusation, and a felony charge, it may seem as though Lohan's luck is finally running out.
The theft accusation levied against the actress came just three weeks after Lohan was released from the Betty Ford Clinic where she was accused of battery on a worker.
In both cases, Lohan and her attorney have denied any wrongdoing.
The "Mean Girls" star is due back in court on Feb. 23, an important hearing in which Lohan could opt to end the case early. Her attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, indicated Wednesday that the actress was interested in an early disposition program if the terms are right.
If Lohan chooses to go this road, a trial and preliminary hearing during which evidence against the actress would be presented would not be necessary.
Lohan's DUI probation, which the judge revoked Wednesday, is due to end in August.