Troubled US actress Lindsay Lohan was given a 30-day jail term Wednesday, but will likely only spend one or two days behind bars because of California’s chronic prison overcrowding, officials said.
In addition the 25-year-old former child star will be able to fulfill a contract with Playboy for a nude photo shoot before surrendering herself to jailers for a night by next week, the celebrity news website TMZ reported.
Judge Stephanie Sautner handed Lohan the 30-day sentence after she admitted breaching probation for previous offenses, and ordered her to report to jail by November 9 and warning her she could face another 270 days in prison.
In the latest in a long line of court appearances, Lohan agreed to carry out more community service at the LA morgue and to undergo further psychotherapy — both of which she had already been ordered to do, but failed to fulfill.
The actress, wearing a black vintage dress, was ordered to return to court on December 14, after which she must attend roughly monthly court appointments to verify she is fulfilling the terms of the ruling.
“If you do all that, then this jail time (270 days) will be permanently stayed,” said the judge, describing her ruling as “putting the keys to the jail in the defendant’s pockets.”
Lohan was sentenced to 35 days of house arrest in May, as part of a plea bargain over the alleged theft of a $2,500 necklace from a jewelry shop near her home in Venice Beach.
Sautner ruled at that time that the starlet had violated her probation for a 2007 drug and drunk driving offense when she allegedly stole the necklace on January 22.
At Wednesday’s court appearance, Sautner ordered Lohan to report to the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, south of Los Angeles, by November 9 to begin serving the 30-day sentence.
Lohan has been jailed several times in recent years, but has usually managed to be released within hours for procedural reasons.
This time appears to be no exception, as the Sheriff’s Department said the actress will likely serve no more than a day or two behind bars.
“Probably she will be booked in and maybe spend the night and be released the next day,” due to of California’s chronic jail overcrowding, spokesman Steve Whitmore told reporters.
In addition, an usual reason for the delay in Lohan starting her prison term was reported — a nude photoshoot.
According to the usually well-informed TMZ, judge Sautner delayed the start of Lohan’s jail term at the request of her lawyers — to allow her to fulfill a contract with Playboy magazine.
The actress is expected to make nearly $1 million for deal agreed with Playboy boss Hugh Hefner in the last two weeks, according to TMZ. A Lohan spokeswoman declined to confirm or deny the report.
Lohan — once the promising child star of hit Disney movies “The Parent Trap” and “Freaky Friday” — has a reputation for hard partying and has faced a series of legal troubles.
Lohan’s father Michael, who is also prone to brushes with the law, meanwhile sent his regards to his daughter.
“Michael wants the best for Lindsay, and this is the best for Lindsay,” said Marty Angelo, a prison cleric, speaking on behalf of Lohan’s father because he is in jail in Florida for allegedly attacking his girlfriend.
“He sends his regards, and regrets that he cannot be here,” he told reporters outside court, a short time after the sentence was handed down.
