Lindsay Lohan sentenced to FOUR months in jail as judge rules she violated probation

By Daily Mail Reporter


-Lohan plans to appeal decision and will be allowed to post bail - set at $75k
-Actress in tears as preliminary necklace theft case reaches climax
-Judge reduces felony grand theft charge to a misdemeanour

Back to jail: Lindsay Lohan arrives at the LAX courthouse in Los Angeles today for the preliminary hearing into her necklace case. After hearing evidence against her a judge ruled she had violated her probation and sentenced her to four months in jail


Lindsay Lohan has been sentenced to 120 days in jail for a probation violation after a judge heard evidence against the actress in her necklace theft case.

The actress's lawyer Shawn Chapman said she will appeal the ruling, which will allow the actress to post bail, which was set at $75,000

Judge Stephanie Sautner also ordered Lohan to serve more than 400 hours of community service, including 300 hours at a women's center.


Pensive: A court sketch shows Lohan sat next to her lawyer Shawn Chapman as jewllery store owner Kaman takes the witness stand


The ruling came after Sautner reduced Lohan's grand theft case down to a misdemeanor and after prosecutors gave their case against the actress.

It will be Lohan's fourth jail stint.

Sautner refused to dismiss the theft case against Lohan, but said she often sees more serious cases that get reduced to lesser charges.

'I see the intent here,' Sautner said. 'I see a level of brazenness with "Let me see what I can get away with here.'''

Sautner ruled that prosecutors had shown that Lohan violated her probation, but also said in reducing the charge that she was going to give the actress 'an opportunity.'

Lohan formally entered a not guilty plea at Friday's hearing. She is next due back in court on May 11 for a pre-trial hearing with the trial scheduled for June 3.

The 'Mean Girls' star arrived at the courthouse wearing a black long-sleeve shirt, blue trousers and a scarf.

Her father Michael Lohan was also in attendance and took a front row seat inside the court - where cameras have been banned.

The news came during a dramatic day at the LAX courthouse in Los Angeles, which culminated in Lohan breaking down in tears.

Various witnesses were brought to the stand throughout the day, including the owner of the jewellery store, the store clerk and the investigating officer from the LAPD.

Judge Sautner dismissed the motion to drop the case altogether, according to internet reports.

But it seems Lindsay's lawyer, Shawn Chapman, has managed to persuade the judge that the necklace was worth far less than $2,500.

Under California law, a crime only becomes grand theft if the value of the stolen goods exceeds $950.

Preliminary hearing: The actress wore a black top, Navy blue trousers teamed with an off-white scarf and wore her hair in an updo. She was accompanied by her lawyer Shawn Chapman, who wore a red dress


During the hearing Chapman had aruged the necklace was worth less than $2,500.

Furthermore Sofia Kaman, the owner of Kamofie & Co. - the Los Angeles jewellery store which Lohan allegedly stole from - admitted the store's mark-up price was two to three times that of the wholesale price.

The district attorney in the case, Jeanette Meyers, has said she will appeal the judges decision to reduce Lohan's charge from a grand theft to a misdemeanour, RadarOnline reports.

Solem: Lohan made no comment as she walked past photographers and journalists, seen right her father Michael Lohan who bagged a front row seat inside the court

Media frenzy: Photographers watch as the U.S. actress rides the elevator to the court room

Earlier, jewellery store owner Ms Kaman told the court she waited a day before reporting the necklace as stolen because the actress told her she would return later.

Taking to the witness stand she testified at Lohan's preliminary hearing, telling the court it took 10 minutes before she realised the actress had left wearing the necklace.

She said she waited to report the necklace missing to polcie because Lohan had told her she would return the next day to buy a ring.

Lohan, 24, has been accused of taking the necklace in January without permission.

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.

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.'


Scene of the incident: The Kamofie & Co jewellery store in Venice, California


source:dailymail

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Lindsay Lohan goes hell for leather in her latest court outfit... as judge grants her more time to consider plea deal

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

More time: Lindsay Lohan, pictured here arriving at an LA court in a leather dress today, has been granted 15 extra days to consider her plea deal


Lindsay Lohan sasyahed back into court today for yet another hearing in her felony theft case.

The 24-year-old actress, whose courtroom attire attracts as much attention as her legal woes, this time arrived in a $725 leather sheath by Raquel Allegra - a designer famous for customising T-shirts once worn by inmates of LA County Jail.

Inside the courtroom, she was given one last chance to accept a plea deal in the case which sees her accused of stealing a necklace from a Venice jewellery store.

She could be back in court March 25 if she decides to accept a plea agreement but if not, a hearing will be held next month to determine if there is enough evidence for her to stand trial.


Back in court: Judge Schwartz discussed Lindsay's pending plea or trial decision


On that date she could also be jailed for violating her probation - and stay behind bars until the start of her trial.

During a short hearing at the Airport Branch Courthouse, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Keith L. Schwartz scheduled a preliminary hearing for April 22 before fellow Judge Stephanie Sautner.

But Schwartz also tentatively scheduled a hearing in his court for March 25 - but said that hearing would be held only if the 24-year-old star was prepared to enter into a plea agreement, which would likely lead to jail time.


Contemplating her future: The star is still mulling over her options in her court case


Many moods of LiLo: The 25-year-old put on an expressive show during the hearing


If no plea agreement is reached, the April 22 court date will also include a hearing to determine if Lohan violated her probation in a 2007 misdemeanor DUI case.

Schwartz pleaded with attorneys to maintain confidentiality in the case, complaining that there were persistent leaks to media outlets.

The actress was 5 minutes late for the court appearance.

At a Feb. 23 hearing, Judge Schwartz told the Mean Girls star that she would face a preliminary hearing before Judge Stephanie Sautner if she didn't settle the case accusing her of a felony count of grand theft.


Making a statement: Lindsay's dress was designed by Raquel Allegra, who is famous for customising T-shirts once worn by inmates of LA County Jail


Sautner would also conduct a hearing to determine if Lohan had violated her probation in a 2007 misdemeanor DUI case, Schwartz said last month.

Lohan is accused of walking out of Kamofie & Co. on Abbot Kinney Boulevard on Jan. 22 with a necklace valued at $2,500.

She was charged Feb. 9 and is free on $40,000 bail.

The jewellery store has since come under fire for releasing surveillance videotape of the actress inside the shop the day she allegedly stole the necklace. The store owners, Geoff and Sofia Kaman, announced Wednesday they plan to eventually auction off the necklace and donate the proceeds to charity.

At last month's hearing, Schwartz told Lohan that she would face 'jail time' if she pleaded guilty or no 'contest in his courtroom.

'The issue is what it is,' the judge said of the amount of jail time.


On screen: Entertainment tonight released footage of Lindsay in the jewellry store


Schwartz said Deputy District Attorney Danette Meyers had given Lohan's attorney, Shawn Holley, 'an offer' in chambers to resolve the case and had 'very clearly' laid out their position on this case, but publicly stated his doubts that Lohan would take the proposed deal.

'I get the impression you're not going to accept the D.A.'s offer,' he told Lohan, vowing to treat her the same as he treated any other defendants who appear before him.

A day after the charge was filed against her, Lohan issued a denial via Twitter, writing, 'fyi -- I would never steal, in case people are wondering.'


Court catwalk: Lindsay's Kimberly Ovitz mini-dress, which she wore on Feb 9, was widely deemed inappropriate by fashion critics. On Feb 23, she opted for a low-cut Chanel top and pants


Lindsay Lohan back in court


source: dailymail

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More incriminating Lindsay Lohan footage aired on US TV as she reveals plans to sue the store who released it

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


The moment of truth: The image of Lindsay Lohan putting on the necklace she was accused of stealing which aired last night on Entertainment Tonight


Things appear to be looking worse and worse for Lindsay Lohan as US showbiz news show Entertainment Tonight aired yet more incriminating footage of the actress reportedly stealing a $2,500 necklace.

The brief clip, which was the second part of a three night segment shows Lindsay, 24, inside the store and the moment she actually tried the necklace on.

The star then puts her own necklace on over the top and wanders around the shop in a move that Entertainment Tonight's expert Marcia Clark, a former deputy district attorney, describes as behaviour of 'a typical shoplifter.'


Distraction: The actress then wanders around the store wearing the necklace even texting on her phone


Clark also says she believes the video puts Lindsay 'in very hot water,' after analysing the tape on behalf of the TV show.

Lohan displays erratic behaviour after putting the necklace on, pacing up and down, touching the necklace on her chest and looking at other items as she chats to her friend and the store clerk.

The actress is said to be considering suing the jewellery store where she allegedly stole the $2,500 gold and diamond necklace.

Her mother Dina has revealed they are considering a lawsuit against the shop in Venice, Los Angeles, after the owners reportedly sold the surveillance footage of the incident for a reputed figure of more than $35,000.

It comes after the Kamofie & Co.said its business had been damaged by the media attention surrounding the alleged necklace theft by 24-year-old Lohan.


Lawsuit: Lindsay Lohan's mother Dina has revealed the family are considering suing the jewellery store where she allegedly stole a $2,500 necklace in January after it sold the surveillance footage


Texting away: Lohan seen here in CCTV footage inside the Kamofie & Co jewellery store in Venice Beach, Los Angeles, on January 22 when she is accused of stealing the necklace


Dina told RadarOnline: 'Once again, celebrities are faced with the possibilities of their normal daily activity being filmed and sold without their knowledge and their consent, and our family is looking into formal legal action.'

Her lawyer Stephanie Ovadia told the website that the Lohan family had contacted her and she is now investigating the situation.

She said: 'We are looking into the unauthorised use of an image, invasion of privacy, unjust enrichment, and other possible legal avenues.'

Lindsay is next due to appear in court over the case on Thursday.

Prosecutors claim she walked out of the store on January 22 and walked out wearing the necklace without paying.

But the case could now be harmed by the sale of the CCTV evidence, which was aired on U.S. channel Entertainment Tonight on Monday evening.


Walking in: The actress in a surveillance camera still entering the shop. Part of the footage was aired last night in the U.S. on Entertainment Tonight with more set to be screened tonight


In the video footage Lindsay is seen texting and trying on multiple pieces of jewellery in front of a clerk in the Southern California store.

Snippets of the footage taken were aired on Entertainment Tonight after the show obtained nearly 45 minutes of footage from the store's four security cameras, which captured the actress smiling as she entered the shop.

Lohan returns to court on Thursday, when her lawyer will tell a judge whether the Mean Girls actress will accept a plea deal in the felony grand theft case that guarantees a jail sentence.

The video was sold by a representative of Kamofie to a commercial images unit of The Associated Press, which then licensed it exclusively to Entertainment Tonight.

Christopher Spencer, a crisis management expert who represents the jewellery store, explained in a statement the reason the footage was sold.

'Most important, we were upset with the various mischaracterisations we were seeing and hearing about the video and its contents, and we felt the video should be allowed to speak for itself,' Mr Spencer's statement read.


Scene of the incident: Th Kamofie & Co. jewellery store in Venice, Los Angeles where Lohan spend around 45 minutes on January 22


'There were also many media inquiries asking for release of the video, which is not any sort of secret evidence. The bottom line is we felt there was far too much speculation about the video recording, and that it was right for the public to be able to see the video itself.'

A website, necklacevideo.com, has been registered and may be used to stream the video online at a later date.

The footage's release could impact Lohan's criminal case, which is the most serious charge the troubled actress has faced.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Keith Schwartz has promised to send Lohan to jail if she accepts a plea deal to end the case early.

The surveillance video almost certainly would have been aired at a preliminary hearing if Lohan decided to fight the case.

'With regard to the question of Lindsay Lohan's guilt or innocence, we repeat that Kamofie and Company never gave permission to Ms Lohan to remove the necklace from the store,' Mr Spencer said in his statement. 'The rest is up to the jury.'


source: dailymail

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Caught on CCTV: Footage of Lindsay Lohan in necklace 'theft' aired on U.S. television

By Daily Mail Reporter


Texting away: Lindsay Lohan seen here in CCTV footage inside the Kamofie & Co jewellery store in Venice Beach, Los Angeles, on January 22 when she is accused of stealing a $2,500 necklace


Lindsay Lohan is shown in surveillance video texting and trying on multiple pieces of jewellery in front of a clerk in a Southern California store that has accused her of stealing a $2,500 necklace.

Snippets of the footage taken by four cameras in the Venice store of Kamofie & Co were aired by Entertainment Tonight in the U.S. last night along with analysis by lawyers not handling the case.

The show obtained nearly 45 minutes of footage from the store's four security cameras, which captured the actress smiling as she entered the shop on January 22.


Entertainment Tonight said it plans to air footage showing Lohan wearing the necklace involved in her criminal case during a show today.

Lohan returns to court on Thursday, when her lawyer will tell a judge whether the Mean Girls actress will accept a plea deal in the felony grand theft case that guarantees a jail sentence.

The video was sold by a representative of Kamofie to a commercial images unit of The Associated Press, which then licensed it exclusively to Entertainment Tonight.

Christopher Spencer, a crisis management expert who represents the jewellery store, explained in a statement the reason the footage was sold.

'Most important, we were upset with the various mischaracterisations we were seeing and hearing about the video and its contents, and we felt the video should be allowed to speak for itself,' Mr Spencer's statement read.


Walking in: The actress in a surveillance camera still entering the shop. Part of the footage was aired last night in the U.S. on Entertainment Tonight


'There were also many media inquiries asking for release of the video, which is not any sort of secret evidence. The bottom line is we felt there was far too much speculation about the video recording, and that it was right for the public to be able to see the video itself.'

A website, necklacevideo.com, has been registered and may be used to stream the video online at a later date.

The footage's release could impact Lohan's criminal case, which is the most serious charge the troubled actress has faced.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Keith Schwartz has promised to send Lohan to jail if she accepts a plea deal to end the case early.

The surveillance video almost certainly would have been aired at a preliminary hearing if Lohan decided to fight the case.

'With regard to the question of Lindsay Lohan's guilt or innocence, we repeat that Kamofie and Company never gave permission to Ms Lohan to remove the necklace from the store,' Mr Spencer said in his statement. 'The rest is up to the jury.'







Source:dailymail

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Lindsay Lohan's lucky break? Jewellery store 'sells CCTV footage for more than $35,000'

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

On trial: Lindsay Lohan arrives at Los Angeles Superior Court last month over charges of theft from the Venice Beach jewellery store, Kamofie & Co


Tape set to be aired on Monday by Entertainment Tonight

Owners of jewellery store defend move saying their business has been 'hurt'

Prosecution case could now be harmed with vital evidence being sold for cash

Jewellery store's lawyers 'contacted Lohan's attorney and asked for her copy of the CCTV footage' last week


The jewellery store from which Lindsay Lohan allegedly stole a necklace worth $2,500 has sold the surveillance footage for more than $35,000 to an American TV network.

A spokesman for Kamofie & Co in Venice Beach, California, has defended the decision saying the media circus surrounding the incident has 'hurt' the business.

CCTV cameras at the store recorded Lohan, 24, trying on the necklace in question, and the footage was expected to be used as evidence against the actress.

But the sale of the footage could undermine the prosecution's case against the Mean Girls star, who is pleading not guilty to the felony grand theft charge.

It has also been claimed that a lawyer representing the jewellery store contacted Lohan's lawyer, Shawn Holley, last week and asked about obtaining her copy of the CCTV footage in a bid to keep it off the market.

RadarOnline reports that the jewellery store owners need to keep all other copies of the tape off the market so it would not jeopardise the lucrative sale and exclusivity rights.

'The jewellery store owner's lawyer was contacting Shawn Holley and trying to obtain her copy of the video, and also wanted Shawn not show the tape to anyone,' a source told the website.

Holley was said to be furious at the move and has played no part in the sale of the tape.


The jewellery store Kamofie & Co in Venice California, from where Lohan is alleged to have stolen a necklace


Lindsay has consistently claimed she was offered the necklace as a loan by the store, which the store denied.

But if the prosecution calls a representative from Kamofie & Co to the stand, the fact that the store sold evidence vital to the case could discredit their testimony.

Entertainment Tonight has announced that they are now in possession of the surveillance footage and intend to air the video live on their news show in the U.S.

The store has since come under fire, prompting Christopher Spencer, a representative for the business to reportedly tell RadarOnline that the owners sold the footage because Lindsay hurt their business.


Controversial: Lawyers for the jewellery store allegedly contacted Lohan's lawyer Shawn Holley last week and asked for her copy of the CCTV footage in a bid to keep it off the market


'Customers have stayed away from the store because of the paparazzi and the controversy,' Spencer said.

Kamofie & Co are understood to have approached a number of U.S. and European media outlets in an attempt to generate a bidding war.

During Lindsay’s latest court hearing last month, Judge Keith Schwartz made it clear that any plea deal offered to the actress would unquestionably involve jail time.

Lohan instead chosen to face trial over the charge and is next due back in court on Thursday.

A lawyer for Lohan did not return calls.


source: dailymail

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