Actress Lindsay Lohan, perhaps better known these days for the drama in her personal life than for her films, surrendered to police Tuesday, ready to serve time for violating the conditions of her probation.
She arrived at a women's jail in the Los Angeles suburb of Lynwood in an unmarked police car shortly before 10 a.m. local time. She was wearing dark-coloured jeans, a light grey top with a black corset belt and black jacket.
Lohan, who starred in movies "Mean Girls" and the "The Parent Trap," was taken into custody after making a late, and brief, appearance at a Beverly Hills Court late Tuesday morning. Someone in the crowd showered her with confetti as she walked into the courthouse.
Once the court hearing was underway, Lohan's mother Dina and younger sister Ali looked on as the young woman was handcuffed and led away by authorities. Her estranged father Michael yelled "We love you Lindsay!" as Ali wiped away tears.
"She's stepped up, she's accepted responsibility," said Lohan's lawyer Shawn Chapman Holley after the hearing. "She's scared as anyone would be, but she's resolute and she's doing it."
Lohan's last public statement was Monday night when she sent a Twitter message about her pending jail sentence.
"The only 'bookings' that I'm familiar with are Disney films. Never thought that I'd be 'booking' into jail. Eeeks."
Superior Court Judge Marsha Revel said Lohan will not serve any of her sentence under house arrest or work release. However, due to overcrowding in jails, the 24-year-old is not expected to serve her entire three-month sentence behind bars.
Instead, she will likely serve a quarter of her sentence -- about two weeks -- in isolation at the Century Regional Detention Facility.
Revel said she would meet with Lohan's lawyer and the prosecutor later Tuesday to further discuss the case.
Rocky past
Lohan was sentenced to prison two weeks ago after the judge found that she had violated her probation by skipping out on seven alcohol education classes since December. At that time, Lohan burst into tears but on Tuesday, she was more resolute, fidgeting with her hair and nodding silently as the judge spoke.
Holley provided proof in court that Lohan had finally finished her alcohol education classes.
Revel ordered all cameras off when the handcuffs were placed on Lohan and she was whisked away to a holding cell.
The actress was placed on probation in August 2007 after she pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drug charges and no contest to three driving charges.
Lohan's probation was extended by a year to give the actress a chance to complete the alcohol education classes. Revel ordered the young woman to attend the classes each week in December but Lohan failed to do so.
After she missed a court date in May, the stage was set for her to return to jail.
Holley represented Lohan on Tuesday, even though the lawyer had said earlier she was resigning from the case. Holley never filed a formal motion of resignation with the court.
It was rumoured that celebrity attorney Robert Shapiro had agreed to take on the case but Revel said Tuesday that the lawyer informed her he would not represent the actress.
Holley said after court that it was Lohan who decided she did not want Shapiro to represent her.
Revel ordered Lohan to report to a probation officer within a day of her release from jail, amending her previous demand that the actress report to officials within two days.
Prosecutor Danette Meyers said she believes that Lohan was appropriately sentenced and that she hopes the case will make more people aware of the consequences of drinking and driving.
"Hopefully it has opened a number of eyes," Meyers told reporters.
With files from The Associated Press
