Total Criminal Defense Blog

Celebrity Paris Hilton reported to a Los Angeles County Jail last night. She’s now spent her first night in the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood. Hilton will serve three weeks in the elite jail.

Hilton surrendered to sheriff’s deputies after making an appearance at the MTV Movie Awards. She turned herself in at the Men’s Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles in an attempt to avoid a media circus. She has been assigned an orange jumpsuit and a solitary cell.

Could orange jumpsuits become all the rage in three weeks?

ESPN reports that Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who’s had criminal problems since his days at Virginia Tech, is a major player in the high stakes world of dog fighting. According to a confidential source, Vick is known as one of “the big boys” in illegal dog fighting, wagering up to $30,000 to $40,000 at a time.

In April authorities raided Vick’s house in Virginia and reportedly found, among other things, 66 dogs (mostly pit bulls), a dog-fighting pit, bloodstained carpets, and dog fighting equipment. Vick has denied any knowledge of dog fighting at his property. He has yet to be charged with a crime, but questions remain.

Dog fighting is a felony in every state, except Wyoming and Idaho. Nonetheless, the Humane Society estimates that between 20,000 and 40,000 people take part in this cruel and illegal activity.

Singing star Ike Turner was jailed and released Wednesday after Los Angeles police arrested him on an invalid warrant. The 75-year Turner was pulled over for speeding and straddling lanes on San Fernando Valley highway. While running a warrants check, police discovered a 1989 warrant on felony narcotics charges. He was taken to jail and booked.

Officers later found the warrant to be invalid. The former husband of Tina Turner was immediately released.

Former television star David Faustino, Bud Bundy on Married With Children, was arrested on charges of marijuana possession and disorderly intoxication in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

Faustino was taken into custody after a police office witnessed a public dispute with his ex-wife. The altercation was not physical, but they both admitted they’d been drinking. A search turned up about a gram of marijuana in Faustino’s pocket. He was arrested and released.

The chief executive of HBO has announced he is taking a leave of absence after being arrested for assaulting a girlfriend in a Las Vegas, Nevada parking lot. After a championship boxing match, broadcast on HBO, Chris Albrecht allegedly assaulted his girlfriend.
Yet another famous person blamed the booze. Albrecht said the incident resulted from a relapse in his sobriety. He said he had been a sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 13 years. Two years ago, he decided he could handle drinking again. Albrecht said “clearly I was wrong.”
Albrecht’s leaving his highly paid post is another example of how much a criminal arrest can cost someone.

Media darling Paris Hilton was sentenced to 45 days in jail for violating her probation. The California judge refused her requests for alternative sentencing options: work release, furloughs, use of an alternative jail, or electronic monitoring in lieu of jail.

Hilton was on probation as part of her sentence for alcohol-related reckless driving. She claimed she didn’t even look at the ticket she signed, confessing to driving on a suspended license.

I have to imagine, she’ll have a fairly easy time in the Lynwood California women’s jail.

London police arrested actor Hugh Grant after he allegedly threw a container of baked beans at a photographer. Photographer Ian Whittaker said the actor had kicked him and verbally attacked him before throwing the beans at him.

No charges have been filed yet.

Prosecutors in Redwood California have decided not to file charges against Victor Willis, the original “policeman” in the 1970s disco band The Village People. Willis had been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence.

Willis had been arrested after his girlfriend called police and accused him of choking and threatening her. She said he had threatened her with a knife and had been abusive. Willis could have faced charges including battery, criminal threat, and domestic violence battery with no injury. Prosecutors said the case would not be pursued for “evidentiary reasons.”

Willis co-wrote Village People songs like “YMCA” and “In the Navy.”

New NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, is cracking down on players who are arrested and charged with criminal activity. Adam “Pacman” Jones, of the Tennessee Titans, has been suspended for the entire 2007 professional football season. Chris Henry, of the Cincinnati Bengals, received an eight-game suspension. Both players were suspended without pay. More suspensions are expected.

Jones has been interviewed by police ten different times, most recently in Las Vegas during the NBA all-star weekend. Las Vegas police have recommended felony and misdemeanor charges against Jones after a fight and shooting at a strip club that paralyzed one man.

Henry has been arrested four times in a 14-month span. He was one of nine Bengals players arrested during a nine month period.

Ugueth Urbina, who pitched for the Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, and Philadelphia Phillies was found guilty of attempted murder and sentenced to 14 years in prison in his native Venezuela. Urbina was accused of attempting to kill five people at his farm during a dispute over a gun.

Urbina had been accused of joining a group of men in attacking and injuring workers with machetes and pouring gasoline on them at his family ranch. Urbina denies the allegations, saying he was sleeping at the time.