"This is far from a slam-dunk case," says L.A. criminal defense attorney Steve Sitkoff of the allegation that the actress, 24, stole a $2,500 necklace. "All her attorney has to do is convince one juror it was an innocent misunderstanding and she could walk, unless they decide to retry her again."
Adds L.A. criminal defense attorney Harland Braun: "Even if she's convicted, I doubt she'll get state prison time because she's not a physical threat to the public. Prison is generally regarded as a place for hardened criminals, not someone who clearly has mental issues. She has a defensible case."
Experts also agree that her past theft allegations could be used against her in court depending on whether the judge finds the accusations relevant.
Here are among the possible resolutions to the actress's case:
Lohan could reach a plea deal without going to trial, and be sentenced to anywhere from six months to a year in county jail for the alleged theft as well as for violating her probation. "In this case, the court could figure out a way to make sure she does substantial time and forbid her from early release due to overcrowding," Sitkoff says.
She could also strike a deal in which she only gets felony probation with no jail time and if she stays out of trouble for three years, the judge could reduce the charge to a misdemeanor. Lohan's attorney Shawn Chapman Holley stated on Thursday she was seeking this as a possible outcome.
The actress wins at trial by convincing jurors she didn't intend to steal. However, Lohan could still face a probation violation and return to jail without a conviction in the theft case.
Lohan could go to trial and lose, and could be subject to harsher punishment if the judge decides she was being deceitful to the court. "But if she loses at trial, I can't see her getting more than eight months in state prison," Braun says.
Jennifer Aniston Has Been a Secret Perfumer for Years
Jennifer Aniston Has Been a Secret Perfumer for Years
Richard Young/Startraks
Jennifer Aniston might have debuted her first official fragrance just weeks agobut it turns out shed already honed her skills crafting signature scents for her inner circle. I wanted to create my own fragrance because for years I would make scented oils and lotions for my girlfriends for wedding showers, baby showers and birthdays, says this weeks PEOPLE cover girl. I would create a personalized scent for them, so when I was offered the opportunity to design my own fragrance I jumped at the chance. The debut scent, Jennifer Aniston, is a melange of notes that are nostalgic for her, she says, but that are also universal, smelling slightly different on each person who wears it. I wanted to incorporate some scents that I love most, especially living in Southern California, like jasmine, sandalwood, violet and musk, she explains. It took over a year to get the fragrance just as I wanted it. Buy the scent for yourself at sephora.com, and read more from Aniston in this weeks PEOPLE magazine, on newsstands now.
Katy Perry, Eminem and Johnny Depp rule at Peopleâs Choice Awards 2011
Katy Perry, Eminem and Johnny Depp rule at Peoples Choice Awards 2011
Katy Perry, Eminem and Johnny Depp rule at Peoples Choice Awards 2011
THE LONG awaited Peoples Choice Awards 2011 left the audiences as well as the spectators bedazzled when a host of awards were given out to some of the ideal obloquy in the commerce which included Johnny Depp, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, Adam Sandler and person Zac Efron. Adding colour to the entire event were the Kardashian siblings including Khloe, who walked in with her red tresses along with her husband. Her sisters, Kim and Kourtney were seen giving company to her.
Hollywood hunk Johnny Depp won the ideal person trophy for his role in the hit flick, Alice in Wonderland after beating the Twilight duo Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. However, the final Twilight flick, Eclipse was the huge winner in the event as it went on to clinch four gongs for favourite movie, favourite drama movie, favourite on-screen team and ideal actress trophy for Kristen Stewart.
Actor Zac Efron was given an honor for favourite film star under 25 whereas, comedian Adam Sandler received the favourite comedy star trophy for his role in the film Grown Ups.
The total list of winners at the Peoples Choice Awards 2011 are:
Movies:
Favorite Movie: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Favorite Motion picture Actor: Johnny Depp Favorite Motion picture Actress: Kristen Stewart Favorite Action Movie: Iron Man 2 Favorite Action Star: Jackie Chan Favorite Family Movie: Toy Story 3 Favorite Drama Movie: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Favorite Comedy Movie: Grown Ups Favorite Comedic Star: Adam Sandler Favorite On Screen Team: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner) Favorite Motion picture Star Under 25: Zac Efron Favorite Horror Movie: A Nightmare on Elm Street
Sam's trip down memory lane is an unpleasant one in "Unforgiven"
BI'm pretty sure that the end of last night's Supernatural made me pass out in fear. All I know is that after it ended, I hit Twitter to express my complete and utter sadness that Sam appears to be gnawing at his memory wall faster than we anticipated, and then I woke up three hours later exactly where I had been sitting when I tweeted with the same ugly pit in my stomach. Ugh. This show!
The good news is that I've recovered enough now to rewind and recap how we got to last night's big, scary moment:
Last night's episode was not a normal Supernatural episode by any means. Much of the story was actually told via flashbacks to Sam's robo months when he was hunting with Grandpa Samuel. But in order for Sam to remember those days, he had to scratch at the wall in his mind that was put their to protect him from his memories of hell -- you know, the ones that will likely turn him into a "drooling mess" if he ever remembers fully. (Sigh of fear.) We actually kicked off the episode with one of said flashbacks.
In it, Sam and Samuel were shown one year prior working a case. Sam was shooting unidentified objects off camera, and Samuel had a look of concern on his face. (At which point we were all probably thinking the same thing, 'Yeah, that's definitely a great sign.') As they fled the scene of this apparent crime, a local policeman caught up with them, and upon seeing Sam's shirt covered in blood, threatened to arrest them. Not liking that idea, robo-Sam beat his face in. Again, Gramps, who I'd personally always pegged as a pretty violent guy, chastised Sam for his reaction. "You think there are maybe calmer ways we could have done all that?" he said. Sam didn't care, and they drove off, leaving the cop on the ground beaten (and me horrified).
When we returned to present day, the now-more-innocent-faced, normal Sam was watching bad TV in a cruddy hotel room when Dean walked in with fast food. (Ah, it's these familiar sights that make me want to wrap my arms around our recently re-souled Winchester and never let him go. I especially felt this way during this episode because the contrast between the two versions of the character was presented to us so clearly.) Just as they were talking about how quiet it had been lately (jinx), Sam received a mysterious text message with coordinates that led to a town where some girls had gone missing recently. Before you ask, no, it wasn't John Winchester sending the messages -- although how cool would THAT have been? Sam was unable to ID the source, and Dean became suspicious of the origin of the information, even urging Sam to forget about it. But Sam (using his younger brother powers) convinced him that it was worth checking out, and Dean agreeed, with the coda that if things happened to get "squirrely" (new Dean-ism?) they'd bow out.
Ashton Kutcher: George W. Bush âSnubbed Meâ at Super Bowl
Ashton Kutcher: George W. Bush Snubbed Me at Super Bowl
(FOX)
Apparently, the tension betweenAshton Kutcher and George W. Bush at Super Bowl XLV made the Packers and Steelers seem like best friends by comparison.
During an interview with BBC Radio 1, Kutcher talks about his experience sitting behind the former President during last Sundays big game in Dallas.
I dont think hes very happy with me. He just was not very nice to me. He just kind of snubbed me a little bit, Kutcher says of Bush.
Asked why Bush may have been icy toward him, the No Strings Attached actor explains, I think I said some mean things [about Bush] during the election.
I feel like he probably doesnt like me very much.
Kutcher describes Bush as being curt when acknowledging him, telling the BBC hosts that former president greeted him with something between a growl and a burp.
At one point, Kutcher says Bush turned around and gave me this scowl.
Wow.
Maybe President Bush thought he was about to be punkd?
A rep confirms to Gossip Cop that The megastar is in final negotiations to play the character of Stacee Jaxx in a screen version of Rock of Ages, a stage musical about 1980s rockers.
As Jaxx, Cruise would sing Bon Jovis Wanted Dead or Alive among other hits from the era.
Lindsay Lohanâs Tight White $575 Court Dress Is Selling Like Crazy! Would You Buy It?
Lindsay Lohans Tight White $575 Court Dress Is Selling Like Crazy! Would You Buy It?
The itty bitty number that Lindsay wore when being charged with felony grand theft is becoming the hottest item in stores!
The dress heard round the world earlier this week is actually becoming a must-have item! Lindsay Lohan opted for a skin-tight, mid-thigh Kimberly Ovitz dress instead of a more conservative look when appearing in court on Feb. 9 to be charged with felony grand theft. Even though it incited disgust in some onlookers, its selling out everywhere!
ABC.com reports that the dress which retails for $575 is selling out at online stores that carry it.
Lindsay ended up tweeting [which has since been deleted] her surprise about the dress becoming news: I would never steal, in case people are wondering. I was not raised to lie, cheat, or steal. also, what I wear to court shouldnt be front page news. its just absurd.
The New York Post, spoke with Ovitzs NYC offices, and they say their phones have been ringing off the hook, and they are reconsidering a second manufacturing of the style.
Its been a frenzy! a sales associate said. We saw it on the cover. We know, definitely, that people want that dress again because of Lindsay.
If you have been looking for the dress, you still might be able to find it at stores like Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Intermix and Shopbop.
HollywoodLife.com spoke to The Real Housewives of New York star Kelly Bensimon, who revealed that she was appalled by Lindsays outfit choice.
Lindsay dressed completely and utterly inappropriately, Kelly told us. You should dress like you are going to a funeral, not a club.
We also spoke toRobin Sax, a Criminal Lawyer and Former LA Deputy DA/Prosecutor, who completely agrees with Kelly, that Lindsays outfit was not a smart choice for court.
I think that she was absolutely inappropriately dressed for court, Robin said. Theres kind of a piece of sentimental witness advice that lawyers give to their clients wear what you would wear to church or a job interview!
A jewelry store in Venice Beach, Calif., is accusing Lindsay of stealing a $2,500 necklace and after appearing before Superior Court Judge Keith Schwartz, Lindsay posted a$40,000 bail.
You now have a pending felony case, Superior Court Judge Keith Schwartz said. If you violate the law, I will remand you and set no bail. Your attorney wont be successful this time.
Lindsay is expected back in court on Feb. 23.
Would you buy Lindsay Lohan's tight white court dress?
The mother of golden-voiced homeless man Ted Williams has urged her son to return to rehab. But it doesn't sound like Williams plans on listening.
"My reason for leaving treatment was because it gave me a sense of it being scripted," he told 10TV News in Columbus this week. "I was doing live telephone call-ins with Dr. Phil and my girlfriend and my ex-wife and all my kids. It became somewhat of a scripted circus, and a form of anonymity was lost."
How is Williams doing since leaving the treatment facility? He tells The Early Show in the following interview that troubles with drinking are "behind me" and "I am more appreciative of life. I'm not taking it for granted."
Tom Cruise Needed Those Slaves To âBetter Mankindâ
Tom Cruise Needed Those Slaves To Better Mankind
As more and more reports of The Church of Scientology engaging in slave labor come out, not to mention hilarious rubbing anecdotes, a former member has come forward with his experience building luxury vehicles for Tom Cruise after being told it was for the betterment of mankind. RadarOnline reports:
Brosseau, the former brother-in-law of church leader David Miscavige, said he spent six months and 2000 man-hours creating a limousine like no other ever built. The truth is that DM (Miscavige) had Sea Org staff spent thousands of hours doing personal projects for Tom Cruise while being paid $50.00 per week as their salary, Brosseau wrote, in the dossier. Fortunately, I took a lot of photos of things I worked on over the years. The images show Sea Org staffing doing electrical modifications under the dash, expensive leather, wool carpet, a metal contraption which served as a mount for Suris baby seat, hand-made aluminum TC badged treads and a ballistic proof fiberglass roof panel. Whats more, a huge eucalyptus tree cut down from the churchs International Base was used to create fancy woodwork inside the limo. The burl was very unique, Brosseau said. Tom loved it as it had come from a tree at the International Base, where he (Cruise) had achieved the state of Clear in the early 90s. DM (Miscaviage) let him know that it was a special piece of wood from the International Base and Tom raved about it.
And of course that anecdote involved Tom Cruise raving about wood which appropriately transitions us to another little project provided for him by Americas deep love of blindly believing supernatural bullshit and giving it all your money:
The church also gave Cruise Silver Screen a trailer-style bus which was made for him using slave labor, according to Rathbun. Cruise used the luxury vehicle as a base for lover Katie Holmes to begin her Purification Rundown Program, a controversial detoxification and introductory program developed by Scientologys founder L. Ron Hubbard.
I honestly hope Katie Holmes has a non-Scientologist lawyer who was present when she brokered the deal to be Tom Cruises wife because, Jesus, talk about the perfect scam.
CoS LAWYER: So, well pay you $50 million after five years, but first step into this brainwashing mobile where well erase your entire personality and pretty much any memories up until this point, including that money we just promised you. KATIE: Okay! TOM: *pops head in* Does she think Im straight yet? CoS LAWYER: One second. *flips switch* KATIE: Why does everyone look like women now? What just happened? TOM: BOO-YEAH.
For a guy who began his standup career in the drug-fueled '80s, and who's accused of rampant adultery by his ex, Steve Harvey apparently doesn't get out much.
The Family Feud host was thrown for a loop this week by an answer to the following question on the game show: What is something that gets passed around?
When a contestant buzzed in and hilariously answered, "A joint," Steve was stunned. No, really, we don't think that shocked was feigned. It gets better, too.
Watch the clip below to see if that answer actually registered on the Feud survey, and whether a rival contestant, who went the opposite approach, topped it:
