Angry in the Great White North

Paris Hilton does not gain much sympathy for what she's been through. John Turley-Ewart wrote last month, before the most recent events, about the lack of responsibility showed by Paris Hilton:

Hollywood is full of bad role models, but few can match Paris Hilton who emerged as a rich girl gone bad when a secret porn video of her surfaced on the internet. From there she launched a career in television, music and is a constant target of the paparazzi.

She has cultivated her bad girl image by associating with Britney Spears, whose life seems to be in a tailspin, and breaking the law.

In January she was charged with drunk driving and later pleaded no contest to the charge. Her license was suspended and she was put on probation. Drunk driving is not a laughing matter. It is without doubt a reckless activity that shows no regard for the lives of others.

Ms. Hilton might have learned from the incident that she had to take responsibility for her actions, that she can project the image of a bad girl, but she can't behave badly in the real world with impunity.

She did not learn that lesson.

At the time this was written, Paris Hilton was facing 45 days in jail for having been caught driving while under a license suspension, as sentenced by Judge Michael T. Sauer. She spent 5 3 days in jail, had some sort of medical episode, prompting Sheriff Lee Baca to release her to serve out the remainder of her sentence in her home. That new sentence was set for 23 days, on the assumption that she would exhibit good behaviour. City attorney Dan F. Jeffries appealed the sheriff's move. Paris was told she could participate in the new proceedings via phone, but the judge insisted that she come in person and had her brought by police. In court, she was re-sentenced to return to jail for the full 45 days again, and she was led out of the court in tears.

Now I don't for a moment believe that Paris Hilton doesn't deserve some punishment for her behaviour with regards to her driving license. However, I don't believe she deserves judicial punishment for the crime of being perceived to be a callous and shallow celebrity. Paris Hilton is lucky, however, since the punishment for the driving infraction will hopefully be a means of addressing her larger problems related to her alleged self-centeredness.

Notice I say alleged. Truth is, I don't know her, and I don't trust what I read in catty fashion mag columns (not that I spend a great deal of time researching them). Had she lived her life under different circumstances, perhaps her outgoing personality would have found a healthier and more constructive way to express itself. Or maybe not.

But I do know that in the description of the events I just gave, Paris Hilton is more of a spectator. She might have exaggerated her medical condition, but then the sheriff and his staff seemed to use that to overstep their authority, or so say the judge and the prosecutor. But because of the sheriff's actions, Paris Hilton has been through a judicial wringer. Worse, the actions of the government seem confused and capricious.

That bothers me. Between the judge, the city attorney, and the sheriff, Paris Hilton could not be certain that whatever punishment had been set today would still be in force tomorrow. The judicial chaos to which she has been subjected would itself be grounds for an appeal, I would think. The State exercises great power, and we deserve to expect that this power be exercised with some moderate amount of stabillity. Sheriffs, prosecutors, and judges ought to defer to each other on those matters where they have primary responsibility. I have not seen that happening here.

Paris Hilton has said she will not attempt to appeal her current sentence:

Paris Hilton has not eaten or slept since arriving at the medical ward of a Los Angeles jail and is being given psychotropic drugs, celebrity Web site TMZ.com reported on Saturday, citing law enforcement sources.

Nevertheless, the socialite and hotel heiress said late on Saturday afternoon that she had told her attorneys not to appeal the order that sent her back to jail on Friday after a day of house arrest.

"Being in jail is by far the hardest thing I have ever done," Hilton, 26, said in a written statement issued by her attorney, Richard Hutton. "During the past several days, I have had a lot of time to think and I believe that I am learning and growing from this experience."

That's commendable, and I hope she does learn from this. But I wonder too if she is worried that any further legal action will prompt more spins on the Roulette Wheel of Justice, and she might win an even more severe sentence.

That should not be the case. The justice system ought to generate decisions that are predictable, within reason. I don't think Paris Hilton has been treated reasonably.

I hope she learns from this experience and emerges a better person. But if she does, I won't be crediting the judicial machinary of Los Angeles County.

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