Paula Poundstone Arrested Again

Paula Poundstone’s troubles began on June 27th, two weeks after checking herself into the Promises Malibu rehab center, when she was arrested on three counts of committing lewd acts on a girl under 14 and one count of endangering two other girls and two boys. She was later cleared of the lewd conduct charges when she avoided trial with a plea bargain. She received 5 years supervised probation and was ordered to spend 180 days in a secured drug and alcohol program. She lost custody of her three adopted children, which she may regain, and two foster children. She will no longer be eligible to take in additional foster children.

Poundstone started doing stand-up comedy in 1979 in Boston. She later moved to San Francisco and then to Los Angeles, where she honed her skills. She covered the presidential race in 1992 for The Tonight Show and her career took off leading to her own series The Paula Poundstone Show. In 1993, Poundstone took in her first foster child-the newborn son of a drug-addicted teen. She has cared for more than a dozen children over the years with the help of two nannies. Many of the children in her care have had physical or emotional disabilities.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge sent her back to the same rehab facility from which she sought treatment after pleading no-contest to child endangerment charges. Poundstone is due in court on December 5th, the day she is scheduled to be released from rehab. Jane Robison, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles District Attorney, is quoted as saying, "He jailed her to make a point." Hopefully the point has been made.