Actress Lindsay Lohan chose not to accept a plea deal last month in a felony grand theft case, but it looks like this decision will work out in her favor because Judge Stephanie Sautner has already reduced her felony charge down to a misdemeanor charge.
According to KTLA, the Los Angeles judge said that Lohan had "earned a felony" but that the charge would be reduced to a misdemeanor because she wanted "to give her an opportunity." Judge Sautner also commented that Lohan had also received a lot of punishment for her DUI conviction, which stemmed from a drunk driving incident four years ago.
With a misdemeanor theft charge, the pop star could face a maximum sentence of one year in county jail if convicted. Had Lohan been convicted of felony grand theft, she might have faced a sentence of up to three years in prison.
This theft case, which involves Lohan allegedly stealing a $2,500 necklace from a Venice jewelry store, is now officially moving forward and into the trial stages. The "Mean Girls" star is next due back in court on May 11 for a pretrial hearing.
While some people might say that Lindsay Lohan is getting off easy once again for criminal behavior with no felony charges, let's not forget that the pop star will also be facing a probation violation charge if she is convicted of even a misdemeanor crime. If a judge finds that Lohan violated the terms of her probation, the actress will face additional penalties, including more jail time.
Related Resources:
- Find a Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer (FindLaw)
- Lindsay Lohan Grand Theft Case Going to Trial (Los Angeles Criminal Law Blog)
- Lindsay Lohan Rejects Plea Deal (Los Angeles Criminal Law Blog)
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