Jail or Trial? Lindsay Lohan Gets More Time to Decide

By PopEater Staff Posted Mar 10th 2011 12:24PM

Lindsay Lohan all but rejected a plea agreement on Thursday that prosecutors promised would include jail, but Judge Keith Schwartz decided to give the troubled actress another two weeks to reconsider before officially sending her to another judge and a new trial for felony grand theft.

"If you and your counsel do not accept the plea deal, then you do not have to return to this court," Judge Schwartz told Lohan during the brief hearing. If she rejects the prosecutors on March 25, then a preliminary hearing will take place on April 22 with Judge Stephanie Sautner at the helm.

The exact terms of the plea deal were not disclosed, but Lohan was on probation in January when a Venice jewelry store accused her of taking a $2,500 necklace. She pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Judge Schwartz made it clear during their last meeting, on Feb. 23, that "this case does involve jail time" if she pleads guilty. But on Wednesday, RadarOnline.com reported that Lohan's attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, was insisting on a plea deal with no jail time.

The judge said he would sentence her to a minimum of 60 days, but likely no longer than 90 days. He "encouraged Holly to discuss what not taking the plea deal will mean for her."

Lohan was officially charged during a hearing on Feb. 9. After pleading not guilty, Judge Schwartz lanced into the actress for not taking the charges seriously. "If you violate the law again, I will remand you with no bail," he told her. "Things will be different."

If this goes to trial and she is convicted, Lohan could be sent to a California state prison with a maximum sentence of three years behind bars.

The actress, who remains on probation in a 2007 drunken driving case, is accused of taking a necklace from Kamofie & Co. of Venice Beach, Calif., on Jan. 22, roughly three weeks after the actress was released from three months of court-ordered rehab at the Betty Ford Center.

A police report was filed the day of the incident, and authorities reportedly waited until she was photographed wearing the necklace before deciding to pursue charges. A friend of the actress turned the necklace in to the Pacific Division of the LAPD on Feb. 2.

Lohan's lawyer has denied the charges, and the actress claims that the necklace was loaned to her -- and that, unbeknownst to LiLo, her stylist simply forgot to return it in time. The star's dad, Michael Lohan, told PopEater at the time that the entire incident was as a "ridiculous" misunderstanding.

Tags: Lindsay Lohan

Comments

(103)

Thursday 10 March

By mem

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I think she should choose trial. The store in questions seems to be after her for the publicity & profit, thus making it doubtful they are telling the truth.

By kris10cw

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

She has been accused of stealing before, is a habitual drug and alcohol abuser, and is always in trouble with the law, making it doubtful that she is telling the truth.

By vickie

after watching the tape...noone stays in a store for 45 minutes to steal something....They knew she had it on when she walked out with it...Why didn't they stop her...?I'm not buying this..something is wrong here..

By Victoria

I agree, go with the jury. I think there is reasonable doubt and Lindsay should not allow herself to be branded a thief for the rest of her life if it's not true.

By steener122

@kris
Thats what makes her the perfect person to set up.

By Ernie St.Amant

If you saw the close up video, taken from the jewelry store's own security cameras, you'd see the necklas around her neck, very close up. It's not the stores fault if that little worthless woman stole the necklas.

By Eric

This story is all the more interesting, when you consider that this site reported yesterday that she had ALREADY rejected the plea deal ;)

By Aubrey Hart

Okay, Lindsay. And when you get sent to prison for three years...

By mw

Ok, she walks out of the store with the necklace on, and it's ok? I don't think so. People have to pay for the stuff we want, she does too, it was not a loan either. Do your time and learn a lesson from this.

By Polar Patrol

Why is she surrounded by 5 armed police officers? Just because it makes for a fine photo? I really don't think Lohan poses much of a threat!

By Elizabeth

the guard is there to protect her, not protect us from her. pity

By max

The 5 police is ridiculous and a waste. Notice how posed they are for the pic? Things like paying these guys to stand there is why California is about to go bankrupt. They are just trying to get in the news.Who cares?

By Jessica

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The officers are actually standing in the typical law enforcement position of relax ready. Hands in front at the waist level in case you need to go into a defensive ready stance. They look bored to me. As much as Lohan annoys me she is a celebrity for better or worse and there are a lot of crazies out there who target celebrities. She deserves protection as much as anyone else.

By Melanie

We really don't know the whole truth from both sides in this situation. Even though I have absolutely no respect or a caring bone in my body for this looser, she is still innocent until proven guilty in the United States of America. Don't be so quick to accuse.

By Cro-Mag

I'd call her a...
C.an't
U.nderstand
N.ormal
T.thinking
however, you must first have warmth and depth.

Cee U Next Tuesday Lindsay

By themeeker

I think she should not choose a jury. The public at large think that she's an out of control, hopped up little hooker (which she is). A judge may be more objective.

By VPC

Leave her alone at this point do we really want her dead like Michael Jackson.....its sad so many would probably say yes. How rude plus remember it can happen to you!!!

By Sugar & Spice

Umm, NO, it would never happen to me! I don't go around hijacking people, stealing things, lying my butt off to all and sundry, have a huge ego or even bigger sense of entitlement, get drunk or do drugs! She's a trainwreck of her own making, and refuses to accept responsibility for anything, so she deserves whatever punishement she gets at this point. I don't wish her death, but the way she's headed she's going to get there soon on her own.

By ROB

Well said Sugar and Spice. Lindsay, her parents, and what few fans she has left want to continue making excuses for her. She has had more chances than most people ever would to get her act together. If any regular person blatantly violated probation time and time again for the "serious" infractions she had it would be lock up time. She sinks or swims by her own hands now...it is up to her which way it goes.

By SonnyHaz

After I read the "Sugar & Spice} response, I was gong to say "Well said", but someone had already done so. But I repeat "Well said".

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