Celebrities have it easy in jail
Campus Times
February 6, 1998
Almost every other month we hear news of another big movie-star going
to jail and having to serve time for some reason or another. But for most
of these stars, life behind bars does not look as bad as it may seem.
Take Robert Downey Jr. for example. He is an actor who was arrested
several times for drug related acts and then violated a court order to refrain
from getting high. He is now in Los Angeles County Jail and is serving 180
days, which he began last December.
Sure that may sound bad but for Downey's continuous crimes that he committed,
those terms he is serving are actually not that bad.
Downey still gets to use a phone and a television whenever he needs
to and has two hot meals daily, such as chipped beef on toast.
However, there is always a down side to every turn and for Downey's
it is three one hour visits weekly. The movies he watches cannot have sex
or violence in them. We all know what a punishment that can be.
For committing continuous drug offenses, I would say those terms are
pretty lenient.
How about that famous Hollywood madam, Heidi Fleiss? Sure, she got
37 months in a Federal Prison Camp in Dublin, Calif. That is a long time
for a movie star to serve time. But with crimes like tax evasion, laundering,
prostitution profits and conspiring to cover up crimes, she sure got off
easy.
I, myself know someone personally that got into some trouble with the
law with no prior convictions for insurance fraud. That individual was given
the exact same sentence of 37 months, although, his time was served in
a California state prison, not some camp with arts and crafts, personal
radios and aerobics, such as Fleiss has to keep her busy.
Last week entertainer Bobby Brown was arrested with DUI charges. Being
arrested is nothing new for Brown and with all the other times he has been
arrested, the authorities think that a whole five days is what he needs
in jail to straighten him out for good this time.
We are all familiar with our new neighbor Christian Slater. He is probably
the biggest thing to come to this town since I have been here for the last
four years. And what better reason to come to La Verne but to serve out
his jail time. He is definitely not stupid when deciding his choice of residency
for the next 90 days. La Verne is a cushion town where after a while, he
will not be bothered and things will go rather smoothly.
Slater was arrested for beating up his girlfriend, kicking a police
officer and being under the influence of cocaine.
Being on drugs and beating up another person is a big deal in my opinion
and should consist of hard time, right? Well Slater's hard time consists
of using a laptop computer at will, eating microwavable food and working
out.
Don't worry though, Slater is still being punished. He mops floors,
prepares meals and washes police cars from time to time. He sounds more
like a housewife rather than a man that was convicted for beating up his
girlfriend.
I had an ex-boyfriend that put himself into a drug-rehab facility who
did more work than Slater is doing and that was at his own will to get off
drugs and get better. I also know of someone who was in Slater's girlfriend's
position and her boyfriend served 120 days, not being on any type of drugs
at the time.
These Hollywood actors are getting off easier than normal everyday hard
working people are and for what reason? Is it the money? Are these celebrities
getting off easier than most because they have the money? Or is it the fact
that they are actors and actresses and judges and jury's feel they should
get a break?
I am probably one of Slater's biggest fans since I first saw him in
the movie, The Legend of Billy Jean. And I want nothing more than to see
him in more and more movies, but come on, he sure is getting off easy.
I feel that everyone, no matter what movie he or she has been in or
how much money one makes, should be treated equal.
Laura Czingula, a senior journalism major, is editor in chief of
the Campus Times. She can be reached by e-mail at czingula@ulv.edu.
