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Showbiz Tonight

Paris Hilton`s Early Release

Aired June 07, 2007 - 23:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: Absolutely stunning news; Paris Hilton out of jail and back in her home sweet home. Plus, Paris` pal Nicole Richie laughing about her possible jail sentence. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a Paris Hilton shocker. She`s out of jail tonight. That`s right, after just a few days, Paris has been sprung.

Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT says that`s ridiculous. Tonight, the stunning story of why she got out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Aster extensive consultation with medical personnel, it was determined that Paris Hilton would be reassigned.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: And come on, does this send a terrible message?

Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is all over Paris leaving lock down. And we`ve just got to ask, is this what you call justice?

Mike Tyson`s ex and her disturbing tail of abuse. Tonight, former "Head of the Class" star Robin Givens is right here, opening up like never before about surviving her devastating marriage. Her painful claims that the boxer brutally beat and even raped her. Robin Givens; it`s the emotional and revealing interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Hi there. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. A.J. Hammer has the night off. All right, let`s just all say it together and get it out of the way. Ready? Are you kidding me? Thanks, guys. Yes, the unbelievable has happened and I`m not sure the world is safe tonight, because Paris Hilton is out of jail. You heard me, after only three days behind bars, Paris Hilton was sent home early today, sent home to finish serving out her sentence in her mansion, of all places.

She even got a goodbye gift, a fashion accessory known as an electronic ankle bracelet. If you think that`s outrageous, let me tell you, tonight you`ve got plenty of company.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, she is already out of jail.

ANDERSON (voice-over): It`s not often you hear Paris Hilton and breaking news collide in the same sentence on morning news shows. But Paris Hilton`s exit from jail caught everyone by surprise. Even CNN`s unflappable anchors could hardly contain their disbelief.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re making stuff up.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am not.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop doing that.

ANDERSON: She definitely was not making it up. It had been just over three days since Paris began what was supposed to be 23 days behind bars for violating probation from her DUI arrest by driving with a suspended license. Now the headlines are screaming the unthinkable, Paris Hilton has been released from jail.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She wasn`t released. She was reassigned.

ANDERSON: OK, Paris Hilton has been reassigned, specifically to house arrest, where she will be monitored with the kind of ankle bracelet recently popularized by Martha Stewart and accessorized by actress Michelle Rodriguez (ph). As Paris often says on "The Simple Life" --

PARIS HILTON, "THE SIMPLE LIFE": That`s hot.

ANDERSON: Now instead of doing time here at this dreary county jail, she now gets to pay her debt to society at the lavish Hilton estate, not exactly San Quentin.

BARBARA WALTERS, "THE VIEW": Have you people heard the news this morning?

ANDERSON: Barbara Walters broke the news to a shocked studio audience on "The View."

WALTERS: Paris Hilton has been released. Yes.

ANDERSON: And I personally ruined a few appetites when I broke the news to some New Yorkers on their lunch breaks.

(on camera): Did you girls hear, Paris Hilton let out of jail.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why?

ANDERSON: Reaction ranged from surprise.

Did you hear Paris Hilton surprised from jail early.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Early meaning today?

ANDERSON: Meaning today.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That`s outrageous.

ANDERSON: To anger.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t believe -- just unbelievable, unbelievable.

ANDERSON: Mixed with a little New York style bluntness.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it`s bull (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

ANDERSON (voice-over): It was at a hastily arranged morning news conference where the L.A. County Sheriff`s Department broke the news of Paris Hilton`s release.

STEVE WHITMORE, L.A. SHERIFF`S DEPT. SPOKESMAN: She wasn`t released. She was reassigned.

ANDERSON: Sorry, reassignment.

WHITMORE: She has been fitted with an ankle bracelet and she has been sent home. And she will be confined to her home for the next 40 days.

ANDERSON: Medical problems were the reason, he said. When reporters asked what those medical problems were, the spokesman came up with artful and impressive new ways to say I can`t talk about that.

WHITMORE: I can`t specifically talk about the medical situation. When it comes to medical issues, which I can`t discuss specifically, I can`t get into it because of the prohibition that is leveyed against me from revealing anything specific.

ANDERSON: OK, we get the point. TMZ.com, which broke the story of Paris Hilton`s release, is reporting that her problems were not physical but mental.

HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: She was allegedly on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Her shrink visited her yesterday. The lawyer then went to sheriff`s officials. The medical team for the county evaluated the evidence and felt that it would be appropriate. And the sheriff himself signed off on it.

ANDERSON: Maybe all the other inmates at the Century Regional Jail can take a cue from Paris. All you need to get out of jail is a note from your shrink. Sure beats breaking through a sewer line like in the "Shawshank Redemption."

But here is some more breaking news, jail is supposed to be at least a little bit stressful, apparently for everyone but Paris. And that has some crying special treatment, including reportedly rank and file L.A. sheriff`s deputies.

LEVIN: We know that the Sheriff`s Union is extremely upset about this and they feel that there may well be some kind of preferential treatment.

ANDERSON: Some New Yorkers I talked to definitely feel that way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If it was anybody else here, we would still be in jail, no matter how bad we feel.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why should somebody of her notoriety get released from jail early just because she`s famous.

ANDERSON: After her so called reassignment, Paris issued a statement reading, quote, "I have learned a great deal from this ordeal and hope others have learned from my mistakes."

But seeing how she has now skirted some serious jail time after having stumbled into wealth and fame without any noticeable talent or ability, now we have all learned something, that Paris Hilton isn`t living just a "Simple Life" --

HILTON: That`s hot.

ANDERSON: -- she may be living a charmed one as well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: So it seems that Paris has gotten a get out of jail free card. Was it special treatment? And has justice been served? With me tonight from Hollywood is Donald Schweitzer, a former district attorney and former police officer, and in New York, Jeanine Pirro, former New York district attorney. Welcome to you both.

Guys, as you just heard, there is great outrage over this. Jeanine, you were both a DA and a judge for more than 20 years. Do you think freeing Paris can be justified?

JEANINE PIRRO, FORMER NEW YORK DISTRICT ATTORNEY: I have to tell you, this is one of the most outrageous things that I have seen in criminal justice in over three decades. Talk about some kind of privilege for the rich and famous. This woman was sentenced to jail for 45 days. It`s immediately reduced to 23 and now to three.

And I have to tell you I have never, in all the years that I have been a prosecutor and a judge, heard of a personal psychiatrist getting in to see an inmate almost immediately. Any normal inmate has to go and request some kind of evaluation. They are lucky if they get to see a doctor, and if they are sick, they go to the infirmary. This is wrong.

ANDERSON: Yes, they have to take different steps it sounds like. And Donald, you are a criminal defense attorney, former police officer, what do you think about the whole thing? Justice served or a terrible injustice?

DONALD SCHWEITZER, FORMER POLICE OFFICER & PROSECUTOR: I think it`s an injustice because the sheriff made a big mistake. He should never have told the world that she was going to serve 23 days. Everybody knows that the jail is so overcrowded that Paris was only going to serve between zero and five days. And then he stated no, he`s going to really put her to it, 23 days.

Now it has the perception at least that she`s got some special treatment. It gives the people of Los Angeles the idea that if you have the last name of Hilton and you are rich and famous, that you can pay your way or have influence of getting out. It`s a very bad mistake on Boka (ph), who claims he doesn`t care about the perception. But he made a blunder here.

ANDERSON: Yes, Baka had said she would not be treated differently, that, you know, he would hold her feet to the fire and she would be treated like anybody else in that jail. This whole travesty began when Paris checked herself into jail Sunday night, but not before walking the red carpet at the MTV Movie Awards. Look at her, looks very healthy, seems very healthy. Listen to what she told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILTON: I`m really scared, but I`m ready to do this and I hope that I`m an example to other young people when they make decisions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PIRRO: You know what`s so incredible about that?

ANDERSON: Tell me.

PIRRO: Is they say that Paris is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. And by the way, I don`t know anyone who wouldn`t be, being put in a facility where you are in a jail with other criminals. But for her to appear on the red carpet for photo ops and interviews within hours of going into prison, and within hours of this so called potential nervous breakdown, is just ridiculous. You don`t turn a nervous breakdown on and off like a light bulb.

ANDERSON: No, and isn`t jail supposed to be a little bit stressful, Jeanine?

PIRRO: It is. It is for everyone. That is the whole point. It is about punishment. It`s about deterrence. It`s about sending a message. And the message that was sent -- what concerns me also is that the sentencing judge said I want no work release. I want no furlough. I want no home monitoring. And then you have this sheriff, this same sheriff who is accused of some kind of wrongdoing in the Mel Gibson case, who is saying we`re letting her out after several consultations.

She`s only been in jail three days. Who is consulting with whom? How many prisoners do they have who have cancer, who have AIDS, who have TB, who have nervous conditions and now she`s released. It`s an outrage.

ANDERSON: Both of you are referring, of course, to sheriff Lee Baka. Right now I want to listen to another pearl of wisdom from Paris.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILTON: I wanted to go to county to show that I can do it and I want to be treated like everyone else. I`m going to do the time. I`m going to do it the right way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: She said she wanted to do her time and do it the right way. Donald, it seems to me that Paris`s right way turned out to be all wrong.

SCHWEITZER: It looks like she couldn`t do the time. She gets into custody. She finds out that it really is harsh, that it`s scary, and she gets special treatment. All of my clients experience the same thing. They are in there. They don`t like it. They have a lot of stress. But they don`t get to have a psychiatrist come in there and convince the sheriff to let them go.

But let me say this to the sheriff. If this is a new rule, please let us know, on behalf of all my clients, and on behalf of all the criminal defense attorneys, where do we stand in line with our psychiatrist to get our people out in this matter? It was totally preferential treatment. I think he`s going to regret making the decision to do so.

ANDERSON: Yes, let you know up front if that`s going to be the new way to do things. Jeanine Pirro, Donald Schweitzer, thank you both so much for your insight. We appreciate it.

And we definitely want to hear what you think about this. I bet we`re going to get a lot of fired up emails. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Paris Hilton out of jail, is that what you call justice? Vote at CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT. Write to us at SHOWBIZTONIGHT@CNN.com.

All right, so much more to talk about with this Paris Hilton out of jail stuff. Did she get preferential celebrity treatment? Was justice served? Straight ahead, we put together a fantastic panel that`s all fired up, people in law enforcement, even Reverend Al Sharpton is speaking out. It`s a SHOWBIZ special report. That`s at half past the hour. You don`t want to miss that.

And listen to this, Paris`s "Simple Life" pal Nicole Richie could be facing jail time of her own. But get this, tonight, she`s laughing about it. Unbelievable. I`ve got that coming up.

Also, Mike Tyson`s ex and her disturbing tale of marital abuse. Tonight, Robin Givens is right here with me, opening up like never before. Her painful claims that the boxer brutally beat and even raped her. It`s the emotional and revealing interview you will see right here only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it sets just a horrible precedent, in terms of law or lawfulness, or unlawfulness as I might refer to it now. I just am so concerned, because what does this say from now on, in terms of legal issues and criminal issues? Precedent is everything and now we have a new one and it`s hers. Congratulations, Paris.

JOY BEHAR, "THE VIEW": She is my new idol though. I`ll tell you. This girl can get out of more things than David Copperfield. I`ve never seen anything like it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Got to love Joy. I`ve got to tell you, I haven`t seen anything like this either. Unbelievable. The ladies of "The View" and so many others outraged that Paris Hilton was freed from jail today. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special coverage of Paris Hilton`s release will continue in just a bit.

But first, a shocking tale of abuse from Robin Givens. We all remember her from televisions "The Cosby Show" and "Head of The Class," but it`s her abusive and volatile marriage to boxer Mike Tyson that made headlines and captured our attention. Now in a powerful book, "Grace Will Lead Me Home," Robin opens up about her troubled relationship, and reveals some very disturbing details.

Robin is with me tonight here in New York. Nice to see you.

ROBIN GIVENS, ACTRESS: Nice to see you. I could have learned a lot from Paris.

ANDERSON: Really?

GIVENS: That`s amazing. She does get out of a lot of stuff, huh? It`s amazing.

ANDERSON: And you didn`t get out of a lot of stuff during your brief, very painful marriage. And you write about that in this book, and it`s gut wrenching what you tell, and it`s very personal. How difficult was it for you to put these words on the page?

GIVENS: It was hard. It was -- I mean, you know, I always hate to refer to cliches, but writing a book is like giving birth. And I actually wrote the words myself. And I write long-hand on a big legal pad.

ANDERSON: Really?

GIVENS: Yes, and I have a brilliant editor, Jill Ellen Riley (ph), who is somewhere here, who was very patient with me, and during the difficult times pushed me on. I actually start with my grandmother, whose name was Grace, and I talk about her life. I really believe that you are who you are based on the family you are born into, and their set of circumstances and things are genetic and circumstances can be passed on.

So I start with her and then my mother and then myself. But there were definitely times when I was wondering whether or not I`d be able to get it done.

ANDERSON: Exactly because you reveal in the book how Mike Tyson cut up your clothes. You claim he nearly choked you to death. He told you that he would drive you to suicide. Why would you even stay with him after experiencing that one time, where you would go back to him, though.

GIVENS: Well, you know, what I do start with in my book also is the - - which I feel is so very important. And I know that so many things are sensational now. But to me the importance of a father in a household, I really believe that. I saw recently with Barack Obama talked about the father initiative. And I sort of got the feeling that he was sort of talking about the impact of fathers on boys.

But my book is about the impact of fathers on little girls, so much of it.

ANDERSON: You didn`t have a father.

GIVENS: Not having my father in my life and sort of how we had this sort of imprint and recreate situations. And a lot of what I worked out with Michael was really my relationship with my father. And you asked me before how long it took me to write this book. It was two years of my really delving into my life and sort of discovering how I even got into the situation I did.

ANDERSON: And you said ultimately that Michael led you to what faith really was and the grace of God.

GIVENS: I love that you called him Michael.

ANDERSON: Because you call him Michael in the book. But it was horrible for you, some of the things that you experienced. You write about the first time he beat you up, and that he punched you so hard that your tiny little body -- you flew across the room. What were you thinking in your mind when that happened?

GIVENS: Brooke, what`s so amazing about that time, when you talk about that, is that as much as I remember it enough to write about it, enough to talk to you with my eyes open and recall it, is that Michael talked about it to someone and actually remembered the events as well as I did. And it hurt that he didn`t talk about it with a sense of shame or embarrassment, because I know for me that`s what I felt.

So if you ask me what went through my mind, certainly those are the first things that come to my mind. But life`s complicated and life is hard. And the thing with this book that I really believe in, that I really want to get across, is I`m sitting here tonight -- we can look at Paris Hilton and her circumstances, but if you are living and breathing and on this planet, everybody is going to go through a difficult time.

And I honestly believe, as I`m sitting with you here today, that you can be better for that time. And my life is wonderful. I`ve got a boy, my one son. I looked at him today. He`s bigger than I am. And another little gorgeous one. I think you can be better for it. And there was a time I didn`t believe that

ANDERSON: That`s great advice, not only to people who have experienced maybe similar situations, but to every one of us out here. Make the most of what you have. Robin Givens, thanks so much. A pleasure to meet you.

GIVENS: A pleasure meeting you.

ANDERSON: Thank you. Robins new book, "Grace Will Lead Me Home," is in stores now. We did reach out to Mike Tyson`s people about these allegations. They had no comment.

All right, I`ve got so much more on this absolutely shocking Paris Hilton stuff. Tonight, she`s out of jail back at her Hollywood home. Come on, are you kidding me? So many questions. So much outrage. Did she get preferential celebrity justice? Doesn`t this send a terrible message. Coming up at half past the hour, a SHOWBIZ special report. I`ve got a very outspoken panel. Even the Reverend Al Sharpton is right here and he is fired up about it. Wait until you hear what he has to say.

Also, with Paris Hilton spending just three days out of a 45-day sentence behind bars, could she possibly change her wild out of control and dangerous ways now? We`re going to look into that too.

And Paris`s "Simple Life" pal Nicole Richie; she too could be facing jail time of her own. But get this: tonight, she`s laughing about the whole thing. We will show that to you. It is unbelievable. It`s outrageous really. I`ve got that next. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Thursday night is coming right back. Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Paris`s "Simple Life" pal Nicole Richie could be next. Lionel Richie`s daughter is facing possible jail time herself. She pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in February. She was arrested last December after driving the wrong way on a California freeway. Richie admitted she has spoked marijuana and taken Vicodin. On Wednesday night`s "The Late Show With David Letterman," Richie said she was scared of going to jail, but didn`t seem to think of it too seriously.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICOLE RICHIE, "THE SIMPLE LIFE": I`m just keeping my fingers crossed and, of course, I`m scared also. But I`m willing to face whatever consequences come my way and I take responsibility for what I`ve done.

DAVID LETTERMAN, "THE LATE SHOW": Good for you.

RICHIE: Yes.

LETTERMAN: Is it likely that -- I don`t know the details of your problems, but is prison a likelihood, or am I --

RICHIE: Um, yes.

LETTERMAN: Really?

RICHIE: It`s not funny. I don`t know why I`m laughing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Yes, I don`t understand why any of this is funny either. I mean, she could have killed somebody, driving the wrong way on a freeway. Richie could find out her fate later this month.

Well, if Nicole gets locked up, how will she be treated? So many people think Paris got a ridiculous deal, out in just three days. A lot of outrage. I mean, was justice really served? Straight ahead, we put together a fantastic panel that`s all fired up. I`ve got people in law enforcement, even the Reverend Al Sharpton is speaking out. A SHOWBIZ special report next.

Also, could we actually see Paris Hilton change for the better? I`ve got to ask, could she possibly change her wild, out of control and dangerous ways? I wouldn`t bet my money on it. But we`re going to see what our panel has to say about that too.

And "Sex in The City" star and frequent "The View" guest, Mario Canton (ph), wait until we hear his funny -- really funny advice for Paris, straight ahead.

(NEWS BREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PARIS HILTON: I just want to be treated like everyone else. I want to do the time. I`m going to do it the right way.

STEVE WHITMORE, SPOKESMAN, L.A. COUNTY SHERIFF`S DEPT.: She has been sent home. And she will be confined to her home for the next 40 days.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Paris Hilton pulls another fast one. After only three days of a 45-day sentence, Paris is out of jail and forced to serve out the rest of her sentence from her luxurious Hollywood home. Are you kidding me? Is that what you call justice? Tonight, we have a SHOWBIZ special report: "Paris Out Of Jail!"

Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. A.J. Hammer has the night off. You are watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.

Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report: "Paris Hilton Out Of Jail!"

Today the shocking announcement that Paris would be released after being there just three days, came from the L.A. Sheriff`s Department.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WHITEMORE: After extensive consultation with medical personnel, including doctors here at CRDF, it was determined that Paris Hilton would be reassigned to our community-based Alternatives to Custody Electronic Monitoring Program. What that means is this -- she has been fitted with an ankle bracelet, and she has been sent home, and she will be confined to her home for the next 40 days.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Hilton was initially sent to jail for driving with a suspended license while on probation for an alcohol-related reckless driving charge. Her original sentence was already cut from 45 days to 23 days. And now this, because of an unspecified medical condition, officials decided to send Paris home. Her attorney released a statement had other behalf.

It says: "I want to thank the Los Angeles County Sheriff`s Department and staff of the Century Regional Detention Center for treating me fairly and professionally. I`m going to serve the remaining 40 days of my sentence. I have learned a great deal from this ordeal and hope that others have learned from my mistakes."

Tonight, in a SHOWBIZ special report, we are asking the tough questions, was the release of Paris justice served, or an injustice? Now that Paris is finishing her sentence at home, has Paris beat the system? And will this experience really change Paris?

We have a great panel tonight, the Reverend Al Sharpton, former district attorney, joins us, and Judge Jeanine Pirro, and B.J. Bernstein, defense attorney, and founder of my5th.org, and CNN "American Morning" correspondent Lola Ogunnaike.

Welcome to all of you. I want to start with our first question. It`s very, very simple.

Janine, has justice been served here?

JEANINE PIRRO, FMR. JUDGE & DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Absolutely not. This is justice denied. This is a terrible precedent. Look, this country was founded on the concept of equal rights and equal justice. And what happened to Paris Hilton today is a classic example of how the rich and famous get away with things that ordinary Americans wouldn`t be able to.

This release is in violation of the sentencing judge`s order that she not be given electronic monitoring, or work release, or a furlough. It`s in violation of prison rules. I mean, since when do they allow personal psychiatrists to come in and say she might have a nervous breakdown? Instead, anyone else would be sent to the infirmary. It`s an outrageous. And it is unfair and it`s not justice.

ANDERSON: Too, some of what you say, Jeanine, Reverend Al Sharpton, you issued a release, a statement, today that said, "This early release gives all the appearance of economic and racial favoritism." Are you agreeing this is a message that is being sent, if you`re rich, you get special treatment?

REV. AL SHARPTON, PRES., NAT`L. ACTION NETWORK: I think if you are rich, I think if she had been the daughter of a white coal minor in West Virginia, she would have been treated differently. Or if she had been a multimillionaire hip hop artist, she would have been treated differently.

I think it is very, very, very bad to send this kind of signal of inequity in the criminal justice system. I don`t have anything against Paris Hilton. I`ve met her a couple of times, I`m sure she has a good person and her good days.

The issue here is the criminal justice system treating people the same way no matter who they are. I think when the sentencing judge clearly said this was not her sentence. And everyone said, oh, now we are going to see equal justice, this gave Lady Justice a black eye today.

ANDERSON: The judge really wanted to punish Paris in this case.

B.J., as we mentioned, Paris now gets to spend the rest of her 45-day sentence nice and comfy at the Hilton estate, in the mansion. Is there any way anybody can see that as a punishment?

B.J. BERNSTEIN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, I`ve got to tell you to a certain extent I`ve had clients on home confinement and it does drive them crazy, believe it or not. Anytime the government is telling you, you can`t do what you regularly do, you do see some punishment.

I agree with Reverend Sharpton completely. I`m a criminal defense lawyer and I know that my clients benefit because they have the money and the resources to hire me.

ANDERSON: But look at that house. We are looking at aerials. It`s a huge compound. I just can`t -- I`m astounded. You think that could be punishment?

BERNSTEIN: It`s certainly better than prison. I`m not saying it`s not punishment at all. But the reality is at the beginning, if her lawyers had handled this right, had I been her lawyer, she should have gone into that court, said she did wrong, arrived on time, not late, in fact, get there early. And then her sentence probably would be this to begin with. But because it wasn`t handled that way, it`s now being fixed this way.

Clearly, it`s not just or right compared to all those other people in the prison, but welcome to our justice system.

ANDERSON: Lola, I want to send it out to you. Putting aside the fact that yes, these things do happen. People do get to serve time under house arrest, but given that Paris, herself, she would do her time and do it in the right way, as did the sheriff say that as well. How can this possibly be seen as anything but lunacy?

LOLA OGUNNAIKE, CNN "AMERICAN MORNING" CORRESPONDENT: It was interesting because Paris was always clear from the start, I`m going to do it. I`m going to do it the right way. I`m not going to go to a pay jail.

A pay jail is basically an upgrade. You spend anywhere from $75 to $135 a day and you get to live in a relatively comfortable jail, access to your iPod, access to your laptop, access to a cell phone, occasionally. And she said I`m going to do it the right way. I`m going to do the hard time.

ANDERSON: But she didn`t really have that option.

OGUNNAIKE: But she did that for three days.

PIRRO: No, she did not.

ANDERSON: She said she had that option, Lola, but I think there was a little bit of a discrepancy there.

OGUNNAIKE: No. She didn`t have the option. Her whole argument was I`m going to do the hard time. I`m not going to take the easy way out, and then she did eventually. She did the hard time for three days and then she decided, well, this is a little too hard.

ANDERSON: A little too much for me. I`ll just go back to my mansion.

OGUNNAIKE: Exactly. And I`ll do it there.

ANDERSON: Jeanine, you were a DA, you were a judge. As we all say, this judge indicates really did try to hand it to Paris. He really did. I would imagine if you were the judge, you would be furious about this.

PIRRO: I would be more than furious. The one thing that I would be calling for is an investigation of how this case got to where it is today. How within three days a private psychologist is able to come in. By the way, the same one involved in another high profile case, and say she`s on the verge of a breakdown.

I want to know how this sheriff had long consultations with so many people. You get any inmate, whether they have TB, AIDS, cancer, anything else, they can`t even get to a doctor, let alone have outside people come in.

I want to know how that sheriff came to that conclusion. Why he did. You know, in the Mel Gibson case, there was a lot of talk about Sheriff Bauka (ph) and the fact that, apparently, Mel Gibson had given him $10,000 to one of the charities that he ran. This is a sheriff looking to make sure that people spend the time that they have been sentenced to, or someone who is looking for favoritism, that at the end of the day insults all Americans.

And I`m not saying she should or should not have gone to jail. I`m saying once the sentence is imposed, it has to be followed.

ANDERSON: And it certainly was not in this situation.

Reverend Sharpton, the reason given, of course, for her early release was that she had a medical condition, unspecified medical condition. But TMZ is reporting, as Jeanine mentioned, that it was psychological, on the verge of a breakdown. I would have to imagine that Paris is not the first person to get stressed out about being locked up. You yourself have been in jail.

SHARPTON: I`ve been to jail for civil rights protests where there was no danger to anyone. In fact, I did 90 days in jail for a nonviolent protest to close a Navy base that the government ended up closing. And I didn`t get any time off. And I saw a lot of people that had stress and health conditions in jail.

As Ms. Pirro said, that`s why they have infirmaries in jail. That`s why they have wards in jail for people that need certain mental attention. I think that it is absurd. It`s really making a mockery of the system.

I`m going to Los Angeles this weekend to meet with families of those who did not get this kind of consideration, and I`m going to challenge the sheriff since you`re in this kind of business now of letting people go that face this, we have some other people that should get the same Hilton package.

ANDERSON: You know, you bring up a good opinion. They do have doctors on-site, on staff, it makes you question if they exhausted all their options.

All right. Our fabulous panel of experts, I thank you all. And don`t go away, we`ll come back with you in just a moment.

There is so much more of this SHOWBIZ special report, "Paris Out Of Jail!" She spent just three days behind bars, but was it enough to make a difference?

Coming up, I just have to ask, will this experience actually change Paris? Also ahead, we`re not mincing words tonight. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT goes to one of Hollywood`s favorite funny men for very direct advice for Paris. You won`t want to miss that.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICOLE RICHIE: Just keeping my fingers crossed and, you know, of course, I`m scared also. But I`m willing to face whatever consequences come my way, and I take responsibility for what I`ve done.

DAVID LETTERMAN, "THE LATE SHOW": Well, good for you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: I think we`ve heard that before, haven`t we? It was Nicole Richie on "The Late Show" with David Letterman. Talking about here upcoming possible date with jail on her DUI charge.

Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.

You are watching a SHOWBIZ special report: "Paris Out Of Jail!" Paris Hilton released today after just three days behind bars and told to serve the rest of her sentence at home. And what a home it is.

We are back with our panel of experts. You guys, we just heard Nicole Richie say she`s ready to face the consequences of her DUI arrest. I would think she`s looking at what happened to Paris and thinking I`ll get out of this, too. No big deal.

Jeanine, would you agree?

PIRRO: I think so. The precedence that`s been established here is a very bad one. I think that people are going to say, look, Paris got away with it. She got in and out. She was upset, she was crying. And therefore, I`m a celebrity, too. I should be able to get out. It`s such a wrong tone right now in the criminal justice system. It really is a -- it sends a bad message.

By the way, you know, these comments, I`m willing to do the time. I`m willing to make sure that I show people I`m accountable. It`s nothing more than a sound byte. It`s not real.

ANDERSON: It`s a PR spin in a lot of cases, it seems to me.

Lola, what do you think about it?

OKUNNAIGE: It is a PR spin, but it`s always been a PR spin. People are pretending that Paris is the first celebrity that ever got away with something like this. Celebrities always get away with things like this. Celebrities have privileges in this culture and we allow them to have privileges in this culture and people with money have privileges in this culture.

This is not a new anyone phenomenon and people need to stop acting like Paris is the first rich person ever been treated like a privileged person in the legal system. It`s just not the case.

ANDERSON: We know it`s not the case. At the same time, it still is appalling and a sad statement about society.

OGUNNAIKE: Absolutely. But we can`t pretend that this is something new.

PIRRO: But it really depends, Lola, it really depends on the judge. I wouldn`t tolerate this as a judge.

ANDERSON: Right. We will see what happens if the judge does step forward. And, Jeanine, like you said earlier, if there is an investigation into why she was released earlier,

I want to mention this, Paris released a statement, today, saying that she "had learned a great deal from this ordeal and hopes that others have learned from her mistakes."

Come on, B.J., do you really think that Paris has really changed for good? Three days in jail?

BERNSTEIN: I can only hope so, because she did have to experience some things in jail that you do, that are humiliating and that change you. I have a nonprofit, My5th, that you mentioned, where I blog about this Paris Hilton case, so that young people can take a look at it and see the dangers of being on probation, the fact that they won`t be treated like Paris Hilton. And that you have got to be careful and try, try to learn a lesson from it.

And if I`m Nicole Richie, I`d quit laughing because with the type of talk I`m hearing tonight, and all over the media, the backlash and the possibility now that celebrities won`t get this kind of treatment is very large. She should sit home, be doing community service, and not laughing on David Letterman.

ANDERSON: I agree with that. All right. Let`s take a listen now to what Joy Behar said about all of this on "The View."

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JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": And she has to wear an ankle bracelet, right. She is my new idol, though, I will tell you. This girl can get out of more things than David Copperfield. I`ve never seen anything like it.

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ANDERSON: Reverend Sharpton, what do you think? Has Paris pulled a fast one? Do you think this experience might change her, or do you think it will just embolden her to think she is invincible?

SHARPTON: I don`t know. I don`t know her well enough to know what changes her. I think what is real sad is that it will reinforce a lot of cynicism that a lot of people have about the criminal justice system. I think it is a sad day for the criminal justice system. I think Lola is right, there are that many of us that always felt certain people were privileged. I think this underscores it. It makes society even more divided.

And I think Judge Pirro is right. Unless there is a real investigation here, I think we should be more concerned about the integrity of the criminal justice system than whether or not Paris has improved or not. If I were her, I would be very concerned the backlash the public will have for her as a symbol of this kind of disparity that may last a lot longer than 40 days.

ANDERSON: Yes, it`s very worrisome.

And Jeanine, what do you think? Do you think that Paris will truly change, or do you think she`s behind the doors of her mansion just laughing about this? And oh, I got out of that one after only three days.

PIRRO: Paris Hilton is one of the most privileged individuals in our country today, in terms of money, in terms of profile. Think about it, her career started with a sex tape. She was able to parlay that. She gets arrested for alcohol-related drunk driving offenses and she violates probation twice.

She basically is in a situation -- and I agree with the Reverend Sharpton -- where you pretty much have created some kind of schism where people are saying the haves get away with it and the have-nots don`t have real justice.

That`s a real problem. Will it make her better, will it make her different? I don`t think so. If anything it sends a message that she is in a class by herself and will not be judged the way others are, except that I`m not so sure that the public will tolerate this.

ANDERSON: B.J., you mentioned she did experience some humiliating things in those short three days, but do you think it`s enough for her to change?

BERNSTEIN: You can only hope so. And really, this is a point in time for her parents to intervene. We have seen her mother but we haven`t seen her father a lot. He is a businessman. He is someone who is an executive with a major company. He`s got to have some sense about it, to really sit down and talk to his daughter and direct her. Coupled with, again, being in prison, watching these other people, being around even a socioeconomic class that she`s not used to, and trying to be there and survive the cold of the prison.

It`s going to sound crazy but that`s the number one thing I hear from clients, how the stress they get because of just those sparse living conditions.

ANDERSON: But isn`t that what jail is about? It`s supposed to be punishment?

BERNSTEIN: Right. It is supposed to be punishment. That`s what I`m saying, that`s why hopefully it will change her. And that she realizes how lucky she is. Because I`ll tell you, I`ve got clients right now, clients that I`m fighting for, who are spending far more time in prison who shouldn`t be there. Who did far less than Paris Hilton did.

ANDERSON: And here she is, out after three days.

Lola, what do you think? Is she going to be a changed woman? Is she going to turn into Angelina Jolie and start contributing to society now?

OGUNNAIKE: I don`t know if she`s going to start adopting babies. I wouldn`t go that far. But I actually do think she going to be a changed person. I actually interviewed Paris when I was at "The New York Times". And this is -- she`s a party girl, yes. She`s had a great time. But at the end of the day, she`s not hardcore. She doesn`t want to go to jail ever again.

She`s a soft girl who just wants to have a good time. And if her good time is going to lead to her being locked down in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day, she`s not going to put herself in a position where she`s having to face that again.

I can tell, you I feel that.

ANDERSON: Let`s hope she learned from this experience.

Reverend Al Sharpton, Jeanine Pirro, B.J. Bernstein, Lola Ogunnaike, thank you all for joining us tonight and your insight.

We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day -- Paris Hilton, out of jail, is that what you call justice? Keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight. And write us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails tomorrow.

And you can also vote on the question of the day by sending a text to 45688. To vote yes, vote showbiz yes. To vote no, write showbiz no. Once again, send that text: 45688.

Paris has probably heard a lot of advice lately. We have some that she won`t want to miss, and neither will you. Coming up, words of wisdom for Paris Hilton, from one of Hollywood`s favorite funny men. That is still ahead on this SHOWBIZ special report, "Paris Out Of Jail!"

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Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson.

Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report, "Paris Out Of Jail!" Hilton spent all of three days of her 45 days sentence in lockdown. Now she`s been reassigned to finish her sentence under house arrest in the comfort of her own home. The L.A. County sheriff`s spokesman said an unspecified medical condition led them to decide to release Paris from behind bars.

Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the outrage is spreading. I had a chance to sit down with one of Hollywood`s favorite funnymen, Mario Cantone. I asked him what he thought of Paris` reprieve.

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MARIO CANTONE, COMEDIAN: If I was arrested and if I was a drunken hooker and lived in L.A., not that she is. I`m just saying if I was, and I was on probation, I would -- and I had that money, I would get a driver to drive me around so I could get wasted and I would never break my probation, ever.

ANDERSON: Or put other people in danger.

CANTONE: Or put other people in danger. I didn`t even think of that. But if I don`t care about her, I obviously don`t care about her friends.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: He doesn`t mince words, does he? You can hear an even more animated Mario, if that`s possible, in his latest animated film "Surf`s Up". It hits theaters tomorrow.

Yesterday we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day: Young Hollywood`s meltdown, are the parents to blame? And 78 percent of you say yes, the parents are to blame. And 22 percent say no, they are not. Here are some of the e-mails we received.

Leticia writes: "Are you forgetting, Paris, Lindsay, Britney are adults. They are fully responsible for their own actions."

Jason from California says: "America must remember that a child`s behavior is a reflection of the parents actions. Just because the Hiltons have a billion-dollar business does not mean they have to sacrifice good parenting."

Thank you all for your e-mails. Please keep sending them.

OK, time to see what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Tomorrow; listen up, Paris! The good girls of Hollywood may be able to teach you a thing or two about how to stay out of trouble. We`ll take a look at what other starlets are doing right! SHOWBIZ TONIGHT rolls out the chalkboard for a lesson in celebrity etiquette.

Also Friday, the widow and the daughter of the late Steve Irwin share their personal story. Terri and Bindi Irwin tell us how they are working to keep Steve`s legacy alive. It`s a touching interview and you`ll see it only right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.

"Glenn Beck" is coming up next. Stay tuned for that, right after the latest headlines from CNN "Headline News". Take care.

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