Ms. Hilton's sentence compared to Winona Ryder's

[Catherine Vincent]

http://www.movie-gazette.com/directory/img/winona+ryder.jpg
Was arrested in Beverly Hills for allegedly stealing clothing items and carrying illegal pharmaceutical drugs without a prescription. Her lawyer denied the accusations, and Winona was released later that evening on $20,000 bail. Despite her alleged crime, Beverly Hills police described her as "very friendly, polite, and cooperative" and "a nice lady."

Appeared on the cover of the June 2002 cover of W magazine wearing a "Free Winona" T-shirt. "Free Winona" T-shirts became popular over the Internet following her December 22, 2001 arrest, with many fans sporting them and purses in support.

November 6, 2002. She was found guilty of vandalism and grand theft in connection with the shoplifting charges dating from back on December 12, 2001. Sentencing is scheduled for December 6, 2002. She was acquitted of a third charge, burglary.

6 December 2002 - Sentenced to 480 hours of community service, three years' probation, $3700 in fines, and $6355 in restitution for her arrest on shoplifting charges.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000213/bio

[CatWoman]

1. and?

did she shoplift it again?

did she go against a court order?

did she violate her probation?

[Wise Doubter]

33. Did she get drunk, and then get ....

behind the wheel of a 2,000 lb killing machine ??

Just asking ??!

[aquart]

2. How often was she caught violating probation?

How often did she drive with a suspended license? Apples and oranges. There was damn little chance of anyone getting killed by Winona's self-destructive behavior. BIG FAT chance of dead people with Paris' peccadillos.

The judge was trying to save lives. Including that of the rich, worthless Paris.

[Madspirit]

4. Paris didn't kill anyone...n/t

[emilyg]

7. Let's wait till she does.

[Madspirit]

12. Ooooh Let's Lock Up EVERYONE Who MIGHT commit a crime some day....n/t

[CatWoman]

15. that's not the point

and I feel sorry for you that you don't "get" it.

I can personally attest that the judge did the right thing.

and that's all I'm going to say about that.

[Madspirit]

17. I can personally attest that he didn't

...and that's all I'm going to say about that. :rofl:
Lee

[CatWoman]

19. *cue Dueling Banjos"*

[w13rd0]

21. Driving drunk...

...is a criminal act that puts other lives, and ones own, in serious jeapordy. I'm far more afraid (and statistically likely) to be killed by a drunk driver than I am of being slain by someone on a crack bender. So why should Paris crime be relegated to any less a severity of punishment than someone caught in possession of let's say 20 vials of crack?

[aquart]

31. Deliberately missing the point is such a Republican thing to do.

[Madspirit]

36. Oh

Shut the fuck up. I am a trillion times more left of you. Every time someone disagrees with you you don't get to call them a Republican. What an asshole thing to do. I have compassion actually...something that USED to be a liberal value.
Lee

[aquart]

30. Yet.

But twice CAUGHT driving with a suspended license? Giving her slack wasn't getting it done.

[Madspirit]

3. Thank-you!

It's a fact and they can deny it all they want but if Paris had been wearing an "Edwards" t-shirt or an "Obama" t-shirt or was known for giving to liberal causes, people around here would be having a total shit fit.

The degree people want this woman's head on a stick borders on pathological.
Lee

[CatWoman]

5. and Teddy Kennedy should be locked up, with maggots eating his

eyeballs, and bed bugs gnawing his testicles!!!

[Madspirit]

14. No.

Actually I brought up Ted Kennedy to make a point. He actually DID kill someone. I am a redemptionista. I believe all people can change. I believe in rehab not jail. If there has to be jails they should be places of redemption and rehabilitation, not pound-of-flesh and not places where you can learn to be even badder. I believe in therapy not Scared Straight. I believe in Community Service when AT ALL possible. I don't want to send rich people's kids off to fight the wars either, another popular theme around here BECAUSE I don't want to send anyone's kids off to fight wars. I don't believe in the death penalty...at all...ever. I believe there should be medical care for all and food stamps should never run out because I believe things like a roof, utilities and the other basics are things a society should make sure everyone has. I believe in socialized medicine and I believe in wage and price controls. I believe in change and connection and love and peace and yes, rock and roll. Sorry if that makes me not good enough for over here...because I don't want to put some girl's head on a stick and I don't want to rub her face in the mud, shave her head, stomp on her and see blood dripping down her face. I guess I'm just a terrible liberal...
Lee

[elocs]

9. You know, I'm guessing you are right. It would be different. n/t

[sojourner]

11. no...we're just sick of two sets of laws. those for the rich and famous and those for the rest of us

cry for poor paris all you like. she's a spoiled brat growing up to be an even more spoiled adult who thinks she can do anything she wants. i didn't shed tear one for little miss ryder either. it shouldn't have a thing to do with whether you're progressive or conservative, rich or poor, powerful or not...........the law is the law and should hold for all citizens regardless.

[Madspirit]

16. Yes, it should hold for ALL citizens

No one should be in jail for non-violent offenses.
Lee

[sojourner]

23. ah, there I disagree with you, unless you count fraud and theft as non-violent offenses.

I think that the more you steal or defraud, the more time in jail you should spend...

and I think Paris should spend the same amount of time in jail for violating the law as I would...period

[Catherine Vincent]

6. I'm just pointing out that Ms. Ryder's sentencing was more harsh than Ms. Hilton's.

Even though Ms. Ryder's crime was basically shoplifting.

That is all.

[katsy]

10. Paris has a higher net worth, no?

One would think that sufficient qualification the "elite above the law club".

[Ellen Forradalom]

22. Shoplifting doesn't have the potential to kill someone.

DUI does. DUI is much more serious.

[Catherine Vincent]

24. "DUI is much more serious."

I know that. I think some of you are confused by my OP. I am not taking up for Paris Hilton, if that's what you all think.

[Ellen Forradalom]

25. Yes, and I see that the "justice system" is neither

Which explains some of the frustration one sees expressed on this board tonight.

[RaleighNCDUer]

27. I dispute that it was harsher.

Community service and a fine. Compared to a month in isolation.

The psychological damage of a month in isolation can be horrific. One reason why it is prohibited by the geneva conventions.

This short jail term is not in the county lockup in Garden City Kansas. Where she is, if she's in general population she'll be in danger, and the only other alternative is 23 hrs a day in isolation. I'd call that much harsher than that Rider got.

[sandnsea]

32. It was about the same

Hilton got sentenced to diversion, 3 years probation and a fine. About the same as Winona Ryder. I'm not getting how you think Ryder's was more harsh.

[-..__...]

8. Your point?

Hilton wasn't sentenced to jail for the original crime... she was convicted
for violating the terms of her sentence. Not just once, but twice.

All she had to do was not get behind the wheel of an automobile for the duration of her license suspension.

Had Ryder failed to meet the obligations of her probation and/or community service, then I would expect that some time behind bars to contemplate things would be called for.

[Blaze Diem]

13. Paris should have hired a f**kin driver...could have saved her sorry ass

"All she had to do was not get behind the wheel of an automobile for the duration of her license suspension."

And that's all the law was really telling her ..Don't drive for so many days Paris..oh ya, honey, that means nights too.
duh!!

[KT2000]

18. She disrespected the court

She was caught driving twice. She showed up ten minutes late for her court hearing that was to address her begin caught twice.
The fact that she was late for the court hearing showed her attitude toward the whole thing.

Anyone who demonstrated that kind of behavior would get what she got.

[Madspirit]

20. What I Believe

I've brought up Ted Kennedy's act at Chappaquiddick in several threads to make a point and to point out what I see as hypocrisy. He actually DID kill someone. I still don't think he belongs in jail.

I am a redemptionista. I believe all people can change. I believe in rehab not jail. If there has to be jails they should be places of redemption and rehabilitation, not pound-of-flesh and not places where you can learn to be even badder. I believe in therapy not Scared Straight. I believe in Community Service when AT ALL possible.

I don't want to send rich RWer's kids off to fight the wars either, another popular theme around here BECAUSE I don't want to send anyone's kids off to fight wars.

I don't believe in the death penalty...at all...ever.

I believe there should be medical care for all and food stamps should never run out because I believe things like a roof, utilities and the other basics are things a society should make sure everyone has. I believe in socialized medicine and I believe in wage and price controls.

I believe in change and connection and love and peace and yes, rock and roll.

Sorry if that makes me not good enough for over here...because I don't want to put some girl's head on a stick and I don't want to rub her face in the mud, shave her head, stomp on her and see blood dripping down her face.

I guess I'm just a terrible liberal...
Lee

[jeff30997]

26. Boooring!

[Catherine Vincent]

28. You have a booo ring?

I have one of those too! :hi:

[jeff30997]

29. Hehehe...

[Raine]

34. It's seems Ryder's career was ruined over this

cause I never hear of her having done a thing in the last several years. It seems like she has dropped totally out of sight. I guess shoppinglifting amongst the Hollywood elite is a big no-no too low class. Drunkenness, drugs, spousal abuse and any number of other things are acceptable, just don't shoplift. x(

[prayin4rain]

35. Violated Probation

The only comparison that could be made is if Winona THEN violated her probation. Which to my knowledge she didn't do... soooo I am missing your point. You can be put on probation for minor or major crimes. Either way, if you violate that probation, there will be consequences.