Why is there a double standard with the law concerning famous people?
Recently in the news with Lindsay Lohan, This young woman has been caught several times with possession of cocaine and yet she is not in jail. Why is it acceptable for famous people to get away with crimes like this? And the unfamous person could committ a crime like this and get their whole life messed up. If i am not mistaken in some states possession of cocaine is a felony.. And yet society accepts it for the rich and famous and they still keep their jobs..yet for the unfamous plain individual they are scorned and labled and prevented from obtaining work because of felony listed on their criminal background check? How are these people suppose to make a living honestly? When they are continually turned down for work because of one mistake? This isone of the reason's why the crime rate will not go down. What ever happend to giving someone a second chance?
Answers:
i don't really believe there is, i think its all about the money. i know a few people who have gotten out of legal problems you wouldn't believe by spending a ton of money. famous people may get better treatment but the laws still apply. but i do agree with you that ordinary people are discriminated against on the basis of a criminal past.
Yes, some of them haven't been able to dodge jail and the american way is that money should buy whatever you want. Locking them up is un-american.
I agree with you and the only thing that keeps them out of jail is their money...
The simple answer is money. When rich people enter the legal system they go in with a team of lawyers.
The reason is because the government wants the "entertainers", the people in the population who raise the general level of morale, to keep doing what they do.
People generally having high morale keeps the country from having to worry about things like riots and protests, not completely but it helps a lot.
The cost to society is tremendous if things that raise morale quit doing so.
Consider what would happen if somebody blew up the Statue of Liberty, there would be hell to pay in the minds of the general public.
Raiddinn Beatdropper
Razor Jim is right it is mostly money. The other part is juries are reluctant to 'put away' someone who in their minds is a hero or star. A good (ie expensive) attorney works hard to get a jury that 'likes' their client and with a celeb it is easy to find at least one, and that's all it takes.
Hopefully she will get the judge that sentenced Paris Hilton to jail time.
FYI - I doubt the public is accepting her antics. Her movie is finishing 10th this weekend from the projections I saw on Saturday. Lohan's career is toast for now.
it all has to do with the following factors.
Public officials making the law.
Public opinion steering the way.
Lawyers talking to other lawyers.
We all have to agree that the media glorifies the famous person and when they fall we all hear about it.
You don't hear about little Johnny Bloggins being arrested last night for the tenth time outside a crack house. Because WE could care less.
Is it "fun" to watch a famous person crash and fall?
Dealing with celebrity with camera waiting for you to drop your baby or having fifteen cameras slammed in your face is just fantastic!
Some famous people ask for this type of media exposure because no news is bad news...there is no bad news when it come to celebrities.
There are no second chances for the famous. They can go through life with several marks on the criminal record. A year from now who cares, but their movies, music, pictures live forever. And that we can not forget.
Because money talks! People who are either famous or rich can get off easy for committing various crimes. Its always been that way and until we start taking control of our lives and making the right choices for elected officials, it will always remain that way. Rich people get to go to Betty Ford Clinic, they are rehabilitated and are forgiven. Poor people get to go to prison and if they make it back out again, not only are they not forgiven, but must overcome post prison syndrome, a change of status of employment, and are subjected to going back for any little parole infraction.
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