Lindsay Lohan, the current poster girl for imploding child stars everywhere, has opted to stand trial on the jewelry theft charge she faces, rather than accepting a deal to plead guilty in return for a jail sentence that would last only a few months. Lohan’s lawyer informed Los Angeles prosecutors on Wednesday that the actress would not be changing her not guilty plea in order to accept their offer.
Twenty four year old Lohan has been in and out of rehab and jail for the last three years. She’s struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, but she claims that she’s not guilty of this crime. She’s accused of shoplifting a $2,500 gold necklace from a Los Angeles store in January.
The deal prosecutors offered the actress was a three to six month jail term in return for a guilty plea that would allow her to avoid trial, but she doesn’t seem to be interested. The preliminary hearing on the case will be held on April 22 to determine whether there is evidence for a full trial. If she’s found guilty, she’s likely to face a longer jail term than the offered deal.
Lohan’s friends have said she believed the necklace was on loan, which is how she managed to walk out of the store without paying for it. She is still on probation for a drunk driving charge in 2007, for which she served two weeks in jail. Having always enjoyed Lohan as a child actress, it’s sad to see where life has taken her. We can only hope that someday, she’ll find her way out of this phase and back to a healthy life.
