Paris

[betsy]

I mostly ignored this story until I heard that Paris was released after three days. I got interested because it sounded like something really fishy was going on with the US justice system. IOW - the Paris story is no longer a celebrity story but a story comparable to the stories about criminals who get released early or are not given sentences that the public thinks they deserve.

For that reason, I don't think it reasonable to assume there is 'something wrong with society'. People have a legimate interest in ensuring that the justice system actually delivers 'justice'.

Me too. I wouldn't have heard of this if I wasn't tuned in on CTV Newsnet. One day they were showing how she partied just before going to jail....the next thing I know, she's out of jail!

Besides why would it be odd for the public to have legitimate interest in this kind of things when news channels no longer just concentrate on serious stuff? They are like tabloids!

It's starting to take on the aura of the French Revolution, in the gleeful desire from the mob to punish this brainless rich girl who apparently is guilty of little other than being rich, insensitive, slutty and sheltered.

Remember that super rich woman Leona-something who said something like "taxes are for little people"...and she got jail sentence for tax evation?? Of course someone like her spout off a Marie Antoinette-like spin, you get the heat from the crowd! Boy, the media and the public had a field day out of that!

Then there's Martha Stewart. Conrad Black.

It's the attitude emanating, I guess from some high-profile rich and famous. Some come off as very priviledged, a sneering sense of entitlement. Whether they truly feel this way or not - it's how it is being portrayed by the media, and how it's being perceived by the people. This is the price of fame I guess.

The real source of the problem are the people. If the public didn't mindlessly adore these celebrities, there'll be no fuel for the fire. If the public didn't treat these celebrities as somebody special, these celebrities wouldn't be strutting about expecting "special" treatments.

The greatest traders in influence in the world of celebrity are those who treat their adoring fans with the greatest contempt.

[capricorn]

I'm not one who mindlessly adores celebrities but I do have favorites. I take satisfaction whenever celebrities falls flat on their face due to their less than moral conduct. As a human, I am naturally curious and that is why stories like this catch my attention. It's a bit like slowing down to gawk at a traffic accident. To be truthful, I am a little jealous of the wealthy. I feel some contempt for high profile individuals who became rich without seemingly doing anything worthwhile to deserve the wealth. I do admire those who earn their wealth. So much for my soul baring.

With regard to the politics of it, it is not over for the sheriff in question.

"The union representing deputy sheriffs demanded that Baca "put a stop to his special treatment for celebrity inmates." And county Supervisor Don Knabe said he was stunned to find out Baca released Hilton without consulting the court.

"I would have thought he would have better judgment than that," Knabe said.

The county Board of Supervisors will demand a report on Hilton's release and Baca's decision-making in the matter, Knabe said."

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/4875404.html

How deep the review of his actions will go, who knows. I just hope the findings get out to expose what is really behind the sheriff's actions.

[capricorn]

This should make the review of the sheriff's action easier.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/stor...5001021,00.html

[sharkman]

If justice is blind, which it should be in a free society, then Paris should have walked on this one. Similiar treatment for similar offenses, all I've seen so far is that most people would have just been fined.

We can't start tailoring sentenances to best suit a political (or moral) point.

If you break x law, you should get y punishment, regardless of who you are.

I don't have alot of sympathy for Paris, but I thought the way the police handed her re-arrest was quite insensitive. Perhaps that's the way they always do it, but of course the media has to be there to laugh at Paris in her darkest hour.

She had trouble coming to her for a long time, but I don't think it's reasonable for her to spend an hour more in jail than I would have served committing the same crime.

I agree, this judgement is the result of a petty judge bitter at the rich, and justice was not served.

[kimmy]

This is a person who has had every opportunity and advantage handed to her on a silver platter, yet remains ignorant, stupid, a habititual binge drinker and drug user, made her mark in life by having sex on videotape, and has had repeated trouble with the law prior to this.

And this justifies her sentence how?

I wasn't attempting to justify her sentence. I was explaining my description of her as "trash" to August. And she is trash; she might be rich and famous, but other than that she perfectly embodies all the traits that people associate with the "trailer-trash" or "white trash" stereotypes.

I'm not sure While I preface this with the admission that I'm biased and I feel some "schadenfreude" at seeing one of Hollywood's worst "celebrities" suffer a little.

I'm not sure I agree with the description of her as non-dangerous or low-risk. She was busted for DUI in September, and was caught driving while her license was suspended (and was photographed driving her various cars on numerous other occasions while her license was supposed to be suspended.) She failed to attend court-mandated alcohol education. She's also had other brushes with the law relating to her driving that did not result in criminal charges, including an incident where she was photographed backing her SUV into another vehicle and fleeing the scene. When she was caught violating the terms of her probation, it was for driving 70mph in a 35mph zone, late at night, with no headlights on.

I think it's fair to conclude that Paris Hilton is a bad driver.

I think it's fair to conclude that Paris Hilton has (until now) shown no respect for the measures imposed by the law.

She was daught DUI and caught numerous times later (once by police, other times by photographers) driving while her license was suspended.

The crime she was convicted of carries a maximum sentence of 90 days. The crime she could have been charged earlier with is considered much more serious:

Driving while suspended is usually an infraction or misdemeanor, which means you can be sentenced to a maximum of one year in jail and fined $5,000. Under certain circumstances, however, the offense may be classified as a felony. One situation where a DWS is a felony is when a person's license was suspended due to conviction for driving under the influence of intoxicants. In such a case, the offense is punishable by imprisonment for not more than five years and a fine of not more than $100,000.

http://www.osbar.org/public/legalinfo/1275.htm (Oregon state)

Since the breach of probation was in relation to Hilton's driving, and since Hilton's driving has already reached what is considered to be serious criminal behaviour, I don't think gauging her breach of probabion sentence compared to what an average first-time offender would get is necessarily accurate.

And since she's shown her contempt for previous administered punishments by driving while suspended, she has identified herself for more serious punishment this time.

-k

[geoffrey]

I'm not sure I agree with the description of her as non-dangerous or low-risk. She was busted for DUI in September, and was caught driving while her license was suspended (and was photographed driving her various cars on numerous other occasions while her license was supposed to be suspended.) She failed to attend court-mandated alcohol education. She's also had other brushes with the law relating to her driving that did not result in criminal charges, including an incident where she was photographed backing her SUV into another vehicle and fleeing the scene. When she was caught violating the terms of her probation, it was for driving 70mph in a 35mph zone, late at night, with no headlights on.

Maybe she's just watched too much Freeman Mynard.

After all, he does tell us that you don't have to even have license, or follow speed limits, or ever pay a ticket or serve time in your life.

[BC_chick]

Except that Internet hits amount to millions of people freely choosing to click on a news report of their choice. America is not decrepit and large corporations don't control the agenda.

IOW, the Left (and thinkers in general) better understand why ordinary people take more interest in the antics of some socialite rather than the complexities of global warming.

Thinkers and the "left" eh?

I'm more inclined to believe that the 8-25 y.o. crowd was busy burning up the google searches, while most people who are interested in GW know, through habit, where to go and read their news.

[Higgly]

A quarter page shot of Paris being sent back to prison made the front page of the Toronto Sun on Saturday. A couple of weeks ago, the Sun had a big picture of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie on the front page. I mention this, because a month or so ago, there was thread asking what people thought of the Sun as a news source

I am having trouble understanding why the Sun still exists. You can get the same crap for free at every subway entrance.

[gc1765]

If you break x law, you should get y punishment, regardless of who you are.

And no special jails for celebrities too?

[August1991]

Thinkers and the "left" eh?

I'm more inclined to believe that the 8-25 y.o. crowd was busy burning up the google searches, while most people who are interested in GW know, through habit, where to go and read their news.

I think you'd be wrong about those demographics.

A news story doesn't reach Number One in hits on such a narrow demographic.

My point is that most ordinary people do not approach news the way political news junkies on this forum do.