Paris Goes To Jail

It all started with an alcohol-related reckless driving charge. I don't keep up with Hollywood royalty and their drama (I really don't have that kind of time - who does?) but apparently last September, Ms. Hilton had been drinking (registering a .08 - the legal limit for drunk driving in California) and was stopped for reckless driving.

She pled no contest in January and was sentenced to 36 months probation, alcohol education and $1,500 in fines. She had until February 15th to enter an alchohol education program.

On January 15th, she was stopped for some charge (sorry, I don't remember what the charge was). During the stop she signed a document stating that she understood her license was suspended. On February 27th, she was stopped yet again.

Today, she was in court to answer a violation of probation charge and was sentenced to 45 days in jail. She could have gotten 90 days. She claimed, and her assistant also claimed, that both thought the suspension was for 30 days only and that she hadn't driven during the thirty days. But wait...she was stopped on January 15th. I don't have the date she was originally in court, but it was sometime in January. The first day she could have appeared in court in January would have been January 2nd, only 13 days prior to that traffic stop. That's not 30 days.

Then she's stopped again on February 27th. Okay...from January 15th to February 27th is more than 30 days. Maybe that's the 30 days she though the license was suspended? Nah...even Pari Hilton couldn't believe that.

Oh, remember the probation condition of entering an alcohol education program by February 15th? Hadn't bothered to do it by April 17th.

Sorry, Paris, you violated the law three times - at least (who believes that she only drove twice between January 15th and February 27th?). Caught driving twice and failing to sign up for the alcohol education program. Now you must pay the price. We live in a society of rules for a reason. If everyone were to choose to ignore the law or choose what laws we will obey, what do we have?

Whether they like it or not, those in the public eye, whether a Hollywood celebrity, a sports superstar, or a Washington powerbroker, are role models for our youth. They have the ability and power to influence the young, and the not-so-young. If they are going to set an example, they also have to show that there consequences for their decisions, and that they are willing to pay the consequences.