Lohan back in court for new charge: grand theft

It’s not an uncommon occurrence at this point to see actress Lindsay Lohan in a courtroom setting. This week, we’ve seen her in the midst of a new legal battle. This time, she isn’t charged with a drug or DUI-related crime. Instead, she is charged with felony theft.

CNN reports that the new charge was filed against the 24-year-old “Mean Girls” star after an incident on Jan. 22 in Venice, California. A store owner called police after Lohan allegedly left the store with a valuable necklace that she failed to pay for. According to the starlet’s attorney, the charge is “entirely defensible.”

At this early point in the celebrity case, it’s unknown exactly what the defense against the theft charge is. Perhaps it was a misunderstanding between the store owner and Lohan regarding the estimated $2,500 necklace. Details about the reported defense will likely become available when the case resumes in court on Feb. 25.

Based on Lohan’s criminal defense attorney’s statements, it’s possible that a settlement in the case could be reached before that date. She has told reporters that Lohan would consider agreeing to a plea deal if the agreement would keep her out of jail.

Whether the district attorney is putting a no-jail option on the table is yet to be determined. And it also comes down to what the judge presiding over the felony theft case is comfortable with. He had some harsh words for Lohan in yesterday’s hearing and told her “Please don’t press your luck.”

The actress could face up to three years in prison for the grand theft charge. That is the extreme end of the sentencing spectrum for the charge, but the court could decide to be harsher on the star due to her legal history. She was on probation for a DUI when charged with the recent theft, and she has been accused (not convicted) of stealing before this incident.

We will post an update as more details about the case become available.

Source

CNN.com: “Lindsay Lohan would consider a no-jail plea deal, her lawyer says,” Alan Duke, 10 Feb. 2011