Paris Hilton Appeals

By: Shannon Gossage

Last Friday a Los Angeles Superior Court judge sentenced Hilton to 45 days in jail after she was found in violation of her probation stemming from her January conviction for alcohol-related reckless driving. In February she was pulled over by police for driving without her headlights on and speeding. Prosecutors went after Hilton despite the fact that she claims she did not know her license was suspended. Nick Velasquez of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office said Friday, "Today’s ruling sends a clear message that in the city of Los Angeles no one is above the law."

Hilton said after the ruling, "I told the truth. I feel that I was treated unfairly, and that the sentence is both cruel and unwarranted. I don’t deserve this." Her attorney, Howard Weitzman, filed a notice of appeal and said Hilton was "singled out for who she is." As it stands now, Hilton is to start her jail sentence on June 5 at the Lynwood Correctional Facility. After the sentence was handed down, Hilton fired her long-term rep Elliott Mintz, who publicly blamed himself for the heiress’ troubles saying he misinformed her.

The Hilton’s rehired Mintz on Monday evening and he said Tuesday, "Paris and I met last night. I am still her media rep. She is still my client. She is also a dear friend." A friend of Hilton’s also reportedly started a petition to try and get Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to pardon her 45-day sentence. The petition had received about 900 signatures by Tuesday afternoon. Aaron McLear, Schwarzenegger’s spokesman, said, "We’ll treat this as we would any other case of this nature, but it would be premature for the governor to get involved until the individual has exhausted his or her judicial remedies."