Lindsay Lohan heading to rehab in last-minute plea deal
Lindsay Lohan has agreed to spend 90 days in a locked-down rehabilitation facility after striking a late plea deal to avoid jail in her latest legal troubles.
The Mean Girls star faced 240 days behind bars amid charges she lied to police following a California car crash last year (12), accusations which also put her at risk of breaking the terms of her probation for a 2011 jewelry theft conviction.
Trial proceedings against the embattled actress were expected to
kick off on Monday morning (18Mar13), but the hearing was pushed
back after Lohan turned up at the Los Angeles courthouse 48 minutes
late following a series of flight dramas.
Her late arrival allowed her lawyer Mark Heller extra time to
negotiate with prosecutors and by the time the case went before
Judge James R. Dabney at 11am (local time), the two parties had
reached an agreement on a plea deal.
Lohan agreed to serve a 90-day sentence in a treatment facility,
complete 30 days of community service in her native New York, and
undergo 18 months of psychotherapy, which she has already enrolled
in. She was also ordered to pay fines and restitution to the other
driver involved in the crash last summer (12).
In exchange for jail alternative, Lohan pleaded no contest to lying
to cops and reckless driving. The latter charge also carried a
mandatory five days in jail, although prosecutors allowed the
actress to include that in her rehab stay and she will therefore
not spend any time behind bars.
She also admitted to violating her probation and was given a
180-day jail sentence, which was suspended providing she completes
her rehab and community service with no further drama. As part of
the deal, Lohan must stay away from drugs and submit to random
testing.
Despite her late arrival, all the drama of Lohan's morning in court
took place outside - she was dowsed with what looked like gold dust
as she made her way from a car to the entrance and then her
estranged father heckled her attorney Mark Heller as he attempted
to address the media after the proceedings had ended.
Reality TV star Michael Lohan accused the lawyer of using his
daughter for publicity, and berated him throughout his courthouse
steps press conference, as Heller attempted to explain why he and
his client had agreed to accept a plea deal they had previously
turned down.
Michael Lohan yelled, "Why are you up still there?"
Once Heller, who was drafted in to replace the actress' longterm
lawyer Shawn Holley last month (Feb13), left, Lohan staged his own
press conference, accusing the attorney of "trying to cash in on my
daughter's notoriety for his own professional interests".