Lawyer says Lohan committed to turning life around
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Lindsay Lohan is committed to turning her life around and wants to record public service announcements on the dangers of domestic violence, alcohol abuse and drunken driving, her attorney said Wednesday.
Mark Heller told The Associated Press that the actress' plans are independent of a criminal case that could return her to jail on charges that she lied to police about being a passenger in her car when it slammed into a dump truck in June.
The "Liz & Dick" star has been repeatedly sentenced to jail, rehab, and community service since her first pair of arrests for driving under the influence in 2007. She spent several months in court-ordered psychotherapy until a judge released her from supervised probation in March 2012.
As part of the intense psychotherapy sessions, Lohan is in the beginning stages of trying to become an inspirational speaker to young people, he said.
"I think she suddenly woke up one morning and had an epiphany and she suddenly realized and appreciated the seriousness of the events that led to her being in court," Heller said.
"She's going to try to inspire hope in people," he said. "I think it will be good for her. It certainly won't hurt others."
Heller mentioned Lohan's intent to become an inspirational speaker in a letter to prosecutors and a judge that was obtained Tuesday. He said he will meet with prosecutors on Friday to try to reach a resolution in Lohan's newest case, which includes misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and obstructing officers from performing their duties.
She has pleaded not guilty. Lohan, 26, was on probation at the time of the crash and faces up to 245 days in jail if a judge determines her conduct violated her probation in a 2011 necklace theft case.
Officers suspected alcohol might have been involved in the June accident on Pacific Coast Highway, but the actress passed sobriety tests at a hospital and she was never charged with driving under the influence.
Santa Monica police Sgt. Richard Lewis said officers did not give Lohan a field sobriety test at the accident scene because she and her assistant were injured in the crash and were taken to a nearby hospital. While officers could not rule out that Lohan might have been drinking, he noted that she did not show signs of impairment.
Celebrity web site TMZ, citing anonymous sources, reported Wednesday that a bottle of alcohol was found next to Lohan's sports car after the crash. Lewis said he could not discuss evidence in the case, but noted that the actress was not charged with drunken driving.
Heller wrote in a motion filed last week that officers found a bottle that they initially thought was urine, but might have contained wine. His filing, which seeks a delay or dismissal of charges against the actress, states that "upon information and belief" the bottle's contents were never tested.
Lohan's case returns to court on Friday, although the actress is not required to attend.
Heller is asking a judge to dismiss the case against Lohan because officers ignored the actress' request to talk to her attorney before being interviewed, court records show. He said he is prepared to defend Lohan at trial if necessary, but is hoping a deal can be worked out. He is seeking a delay in the case to have time to prepare and allow Lohan to demonstrate she is improving her life.
Threats from judges and jail sentences that are invariably cut short because of overcrowding haven't helped Lohan, Heller said. "None of it really brought closure to this predicament that led to this most recent event."
Mark Heller told The Associated Press that the actress' plans are independent of a criminal case that could return her to jail on charges that she lied to police about being a passenger in her car when it slammed into a dump truck in June.
The "Liz & Dick" star has been repeatedly sentenced to jail, rehab, and community service since her first pair of arrests for driving under the influence in 2007. She spent several months in court-ordered psychotherapy until a judge released her from supervised probation in March 2012.
As part of the intense psychotherapy sessions, Lohan is in the beginning stages of trying to become an inspirational speaker to young people, he said.
"I think she suddenly woke up one morning and had an epiphany and she suddenly realized and appreciated the seriousness of the events that led to her being in court," Heller said.
"She's going to try to inspire hope in people," he said. "I think it will be good for her. It certainly won't hurt others."
Heller mentioned Lohan's intent to become an inspirational speaker in a letter to prosecutors and a judge that was obtained Tuesday. He said he will meet with prosecutors on Friday to try to reach a resolution in Lohan's newest case, which includes misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and obstructing officers from performing their duties.
She has pleaded not guilty. Lohan, 26, was on probation at the time of the crash and faces up to 245 days in jail if a judge determines her conduct violated her probation in a 2011 necklace theft case.
Officers suspected alcohol might have been involved in the June accident on Pacific Coast Highway, but the actress passed sobriety tests at a hospital and she was never charged with driving under the influence.
Santa Monica police Sgt. Richard Lewis said officers did not give Lohan a field sobriety test at the accident scene because she and her assistant were injured in the crash and were taken to a nearby hospital. While officers could not rule out that Lohan might have been drinking, he noted that she did not show signs of impairment.
Celebrity web site TMZ, citing anonymous sources, reported Wednesday that a bottle of alcohol was found next to Lohan's sports car after the crash. Lewis said he could not discuss evidence in the case, but noted that the actress was not charged with drunken driving.
Heller wrote in a motion filed last week that officers found a bottle that they initially thought was urine, but might have contained wine. His filing, which seeks a delay or dismissal of charges against the actress, states that "upon information and belief" the bottle's contents were never tested.
Lohan's case returns to court on Friday, although the actress is not required to attend.
Heller is asking a judge to dismiss the case against Lohan because officers ignored the actress' request to talk to her attorney before being interviewed, court records show. He said he is prepared to defend Lohan at trial if necessary, but is hoping a deal can be worked out. He is seeking a delay in the case to have time to prepare and allow Lohan to demonstrate she is improving her life.
Threats from judges and jail sentences that are invariably cut short because of overcrowding haven't helped Lohan, Heller said. "None of it really brought closure to this predicament that led to this most recent event."
She turns her life around often enough to drill a hole MohoroviÄiÄ discontinuity.
LOL
"I think she suddenly woke up one morning and had an epiphany and she suddenly realized and appreciated the seriousness of the events that led to her being in court,"Â Â Â
I suddenly woke up one morning and had an epiphany that I was 20 lbs overweight and after my coffee and box of donuts I thought "gee, I might need more donuts for tomorrow."Â Â
She looks fried out of her mind in this picture. Why she hasn't been run out of Hollywood is beyond me. I find it difficult to believe any respectable director/production company would want to take on the giant liability she is.
@axpman   The same director/production that thinks the same as the scum newspapers (Globe etc)...bad news isn't necessarily so...it makes them a lot of money...a LOT of people went to see Dick and Liz...all agreed it was a terrible movie...Lindsey was terrible...but look at the money it brought in by the curious. Hollywood is for MONEY, the bigger the nasty stuff, the more money...Lindsey is at the top of that game!
What a joke. Â First she has to have the brains to turn her life around and she has proven she doesn't.Â
and there is a pig in Iowa that can fly....
Yeah sure, the only way she'll turn her life around is to be on the wrong side of the dirt.
What a laugh...strictly attorney rhetoric...hoping the judge will hear, and believe, his line and give her a lighter sentence, as in (again) no jail time. What they really need to do is take ALL of the past suspended and/or shortened sentences, total them all up and make her serve the total time...no early out. Then she MIGHT turn something around. She used to be a cute talented actress (Parent Trap), but since then has gone downhill FAST!  I would guess the next 'turn' will be to XXX movies, then maybe she can coax the judge into a lighter sentence by a visit to his chambers!
Come on people. She is a celebrity and we make her better than us because she makes a living at being somebody else. Must be some type of mental disorder
Turn her life around and around and around.....
Has she been attending AA? If not, she should be. I've seen many people in AA turn there lives around.
Attorneys are well paid to spout this stuff. Seeing is believing. I think she should spend some time on a chain gang.
Lindsay, you can turn your life around at my place ANYTIME you want!
Her attorney said she "wants to turn her life around"
That's dreaming and PR work.
@Rob C 503Â Yeah, I believe she has said that before, and who would care what she had to say anyway.