Lohan reaches deal on drug and alcohol charges
The actress will get a day in jail, probation and community service as part of her agreement. She was facing 7 misdemeanor counts.
By Richard Winton and Andrew Blankstein, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
August 24, 2007
Actress Lindsay Lohan reached a deal with prosecutors Thursday, agreeing to serve a one-day jail sentence after pleading no contest to drunk driving charges while admitting to using cocaine in two separate incidents.

The plea deal came the same day that prosecutors charged Lohan with seven misdemeanor counts, stemming from two cases, of using cocaine and driving under the influence.

Lohan, 21, who starred in "The Parent Trap" and "Freaky Friday," will be placed on probation for three years and serve 10 days of community service. She also must spend at least 30 days in a drug rehabilitation program and complete an 18-month alcohol education program.

Appearing in the Beverly Hills courtroom of Judge H. Chester Horn, Lohan's attorney, Blair Berk, agreed that her client would plead guilty to two counts of being under the influence of cocaine, no contest to two counts of driving with a blood-alcohol level above 0.08% and one count of reckless driving.

Lohan was not required to appear in court for the misdemeanor charges.

The Los Angeles County district attorney's office agreed to drop two counts of driving under the influence.

Prosecutors decided not to charge Lohan with felony drug charges because the amount of narcotics involved was less than the standard 0.5 grams. They said Lohan did not receive special treatment.

"She's getting what everyone else would get," Deputy Dist. Atty. Danette Meyers said.

Lohan, who is in a Utah rehabilitation facility and must report to jail by Jan. 8, issued her most contrite statement yet.

"It is clear to me that my life has become completely unmanageable because I am addicted to alcohol and drugs," Lohan said. "Recently, I relapsed and did things for which I am ashamed. I broke the law, and today I took responsibility by pleading guilty to the charges in my case."

Lohan, who initially denied that she had cocaine in her pocket after her July arrest, said she was determined to turn her life around.

"I am not blaming anyone else for my conduct other than myself," she said. "I thank God I did not injure others. I easily could have. I very much want to be healthy and gain control of my life and career and have asked for medical help in doing so."

Lohan was first arrested by Beverly Hills police over the Memorial Day weekend after she lost control of her Mercedes SL65 on Sunset Boulevard, jumped the curb and crashed into some shrubs. The actress left the scene and was taken to Century City Doctors Hospital, where she was eventually tracked down by police and arrested.

Someone also drove her heavily damaged car from the scene of the crash, and police later located it at a nearby condominium complex. A small amount of cocaine was found inside.

Lohan was booked on suspicion of possessing a "usable amount" of cocaine and leaving the scene of an accident, a charge that prosecutors chose not to pursue because the actress sought medical help.

A few days after the incident, Lohan checked into a Malibu drug-rehabilitation center.

On July 24, Lohan was arrested by Santa Monica police after the mother of one of her assistants reported that she was being chased by the actress in her SUV. Cocaine was found in Lohan's pocket when she was booked into jail.

She was later released on $25,000 bail and promptly checked into a rehab center.

Lindsay Lohan fires back at police 'gay' remark

23 hours ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lindsay Lohan said Friday that police have no business getting involved in her personal life, a day after the police chief explained that the paparazzi were no longer an issue — in part because the 22-year-old actress had evidently "gone gay."

"Police chiefs shouldn't get involved in everyone else's business when it comes to their personal life. It's inappropriate," Lohan said in a video shot by paparazzi Friday and posted on TMZ.com. In the footage, Lohan and gal pal Samantha Ronson are trekking through the Los Angeles Airport on their way to catch a flight to Chicago.

The day before, Chief William Bratton said the paparazzi have become less of a problem thanks to Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Lohan leading more moderate lifestyles.

"If you notice, since Britney started wearing clothes and behaving; Paris is out of town not bothering anybody anymore, thank God, and evidently, Lindsay Lohan has gone gay, we don't seem to have much of an issue," he told KNBC-TV.

Bratton was speaking about his refusal to participate in a meeting held by elected officials Thursday that was called to discuss new laws to curb problem paparazzi.

He called Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine's special session — which was attended by the likes of John Mayer, Eric Roberts and Milo Ventimiglia — "a complete waste of time."

Bratton later called a news conference outside police headquarters to clarify his position on the paparazzi. When asked about the Lohan remark — which followed months of tabloid speculation that Lohan and Ronson, a DJ, are dating — Bratton said his sister is gay and he is a proponent of gay rights.