Mischa Barton Gets Probation for DUI

Reuters

Posted: 2008-04-10 18:18:27

Filed Under: Celebrities in Court, TV News

LOS ANGELES (April 10) - Actress Mischa Barton, who starred on the television drama "The O.C.," was sentenced Thursday to three years probation and ordered into an alcohol education program after she pleaded no contest to drunken driving.

As part of the plea deal, which spared the London-born actress any jail time, prosecutors agreed to dismiss a marijuana possession charge and reduced a charge of driving without a license to an infraction, a court official said.

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Barton, 22, was not present for the proceedings in a Beverly Hills court. Her lawyer entered her no contest plea, the functional equivalent of pleading guilty in California, on her behalf.

In addition to probation, she was ordered to complete a three-month alcohol education program and was fined about $2,000, a Los Angeles County court official said.

The case stems from the Dec. 27 arrest of Barton, best known for her role as Marissa Cooper on Fox network's "The O.C.," who police said was weaving between two lanes of traffic and failing to signal a turn while driving in West Hollywood, a community in the Los Angeles area.

Barton spent about seven hours in jail before being released on $10,000 bond.

Appearing the following month on a Los Angeles radio talk show, Barton made a public mea culpa for her behavior, saying she was "100 percent responsible for my actions in this case," according to People.com.

"I'm really disappointed in myself," she said. "I don't know what to say about it, except that I'm not perfect, and I just don't ever intend to do something this stupid again."

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2008-04-10 17:16:58

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109 comments

poohser1 04:40:36 PM Apr 13 2008

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And yet another celebrity getting away with a slap on the wrist. Funny..I wasn't aware the law was only for us "little people"...guess if you have your face on TV, you're immune from the penalties of the law. Well, I was scanned in the audience on Oprah years ago. I think I'll go knock back a few and drive home. Can't touch me. I was on TV!!!!

peggsclay 05:52:42 AM Apr 13 2008

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lock them up for a year no probation

shakawtwf 05:51:37 AM Apr 13 2008

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I nor anyone else would get probation. We'd lose our license, have to take classes, pay fines. There would be consequences. We would be punished. And we'd deserve to be punished. And so does she. Probation is an inconvenience for her, nothing more.

nino0220 04:47:52 AM Apr 13 2008

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that supposed mug shot of her does not look like any mug shot I have ever seen.

seventeencats 03:57:37 AM Apr 13 2008

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my grandfather was killed by one of them. need i say more?

skdjfhoiajegof 03:46:52 AM Apr 13 2008

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I could easily be a killer right now and i would have to live with that. My next door neighbor is 12 yrs old and she was killd last saturday by a 17 yr old drunk driver and i cant stop thinking abot how that could have esily been me that klled her. I would not be a murderer, but i would be a killer for the rest of my life and i thank God every night that i am out of that lifestyleand never had a tragedy like tis hapen to my family. GOD BLESS THE WRIGHT FAMILY... TIA YOU WILL BE MISSED BY MANY. WE ALL LOVE YOU

skdjfhoiajegof 03:39:44 AM Apr 13 2008

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willow1111.... MURDER, I hope you are kidding because that is ridiculus. I suppose in your little world, you are perfect and have no flaws. I am 25 yrs old and a recovering alcoholic. I am lucky enough to have been caught for DUI 3 times before the age of 21. I say lucky because I served 90 days in jail and that was plenty for me to realize I hd a roblem and i neededt change. Even the Aerican Medical Asocation has defined addiction as a disease. I required years of pain and therapy to et my addctin under control and that is what evryone wo suffers from this disease needs, and thye have to wnt to change. Unfrtuately, Hollwood tells too many people how cool it is t drink and do whatever you want without consequence. It is sad

lswblk 03:11:53 AM Apr 13 2008

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this is becoming a problem...people charged not showing up for court..they allow the attorneys do it...this isn't right. they guilty just go on with their lives as before...nonsense............

willow1111 02:46:27 AM Apr 13 2008

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I don't live in California and don't know these "stars" - but it doesn't just happen there. I know people in my own state who drink and drive DRUNK more than often and the most I ever saw done to one of them was 2 nights in a jail (after being stopped several times over years and years) some lawyer fees, oh, and a class.
The crime of letting all people get away with drinking and driving is sick.
Also, if a person kills someone while driving drunk it is NOT an accident, it is a murder.

visionlimos 02:24:53 AM Apr 13 2008

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Paris is a princess, Downey is a king, Muscha is a court justice, and in Hollywood life is a dream ! !!

visionlimos 02:22:06 AM Apr 13 2008

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dont ask my opinion ,if your not going to post it AOL.

visionlimos 02:20:23 AM Apr 13 2008

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this says to me "go to Hollywood and do as you please", for the judicial system is for "protecting the stars,no matter who can get hurt"

visionlimos 02:18:04 AM Apr 13 2008

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That is totally obsered !!!!! try it this county , who-ever you are with big bucks barton.
you deserve to do the same time as an average joe-shmoe drunk on the roads !

or was it the obama bumper sticker that saved your arse?

winninghamk 02:11:55 AM Apr 13 2008

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How many times did Robert Downey Jr get caught before he was finally sent to prison? Then he was released on the earliest possible date, quickly got caught with drugs in his hotel room(which of course he said wasn't his!), flunked a drug test, but was never sent back to prison for violating his parole. Equal justice - yeah right!