Paris Hilton back in court

Peta Hellard

June 09, 2007 12:00am

PARIS Hilton was let out of jail early because she was beginning to crack under the grim reality of prison conditions.

She was constantly crying, couldn't sleep or eat, and found her cell too cold and the prison too noisy.

After consulting a doctor and a psychiatrist, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department cited medical reasons for her release.


Only 72 hours into her 23-day sentence, the celebrity party girl was back in her $4 million Hollywood Hills mansion sending out cupcakes to the huge media pack that had gathered.

As anger and accusations of favoured treatment spread across the US, Hilton thanked the sheriff's department and jail staff for treating her "fairly and professionally".

"I have learned a great deal from this ordeal and hope that others have learned from my mistakes," she said in a statement. "I am going to serve the remaining 40 days of my sentence."

Hilton kept a low profile, although late in the morning a man arrived outside her house with a supply of cupcakes he said she had instructed him to distribute to the media.

They were covered in the socialite's favourite rosy icing.

Her parents also arrived and briefly entered, then left.

Within hours city prosecutors filed a motion seeking her return to jail as early as today.

She has been ordered to appear in an LA court at 9am before Superior Court judge Michael Sauer.

Judge Sauer, who originally sentenced Hilton to a 23-day stay for violating her probation in a drink-driving case, opposed the early release of the 26-year-old for an unspecified medical condition.

"Paris has been crying on the phone, saying she's not sleeping or eating. Paris says her cell is 'freezing cold'," gossip website TMZ said.

"She has three little blankets and no pillow.

"She's using one of the blankets as a pillow. The room is bright and jail noise echoes through her space."

LA sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore insisted Hilton was not free, but "reassigned" to house arrest while wearing an electronic tag.

Sheriff Lee Baca released Hilton to serve 40 days at home and wear an electronic tagging device after she served only three days of her sentence at the Century Regional Detention Facility.

Judge Sauer had specifically ordered that Hilton not do her time at home when he sentenced her last month.

The case's prosecutor, Rocky Delgadillo, said he was considering holding the sheriff in contempt of court for releasing her.

"The judicial process may have been improperly circumvented in this case," Mr Delgadillo said.

"I have directed my criminal branch to immediately explore all possible legal options to ensure the law is being applied equally and justly.

"Had we been provided with the proper notification, we would have opposed the decision on legal grounds."

Superior Court spokesman Allan Parachini said judge Sauer had vehemently opposed her release. "He did not agree to the terms of release that the sheriff proposed," Mr Parachini said.

Mr Delgadillo said he would argue in court today that the sheriff's department had violated the court's sentencing order and Hilton should be returned to jail.

"If law enforcement officials are to enjoy the respect of those we are charged with protecting, we cannot tolerate a two-tiered jail system where the rich and powerful receive special treatment," he said.

"We must ensure that in our city, in our nation and under our Constitution, justice remains blind."

Hilton reported to jail late on Sunday to serve her sentence, meted out in May for driving while her licence was suspended for drink-driving.

But her early release triggered a wave of anger from civil liberties groups and on the internet, with people condemning the special treatment allegedly being accorded to the heiress of the Hilton hotel fortune.

Civil rights leader Al Sharpton said: "This early release gives all of the appearances of economic and racial favouritism that is constantly cited by poor people and people of colour." ~ with AFP