Lindsay Lohan Is Innocent And Will Prove It

Lindsay Lohan's powerhouse attorney, Shawn Holley, is proclaiming her embattled client's innocence and declares that LiLo will be acquitted by a jury.

In a statement released to Radar Online, Holley says: "Ms. Lohan has maintained her innocence from the moment this case was filed and she has never wavered.

"Though many advised her to follow the safe route by taking 'the deal,' the truth is, Ms. Lohan is innocent; she has a strong defense; and we are confident that a jury will listen to the evidence fairly and acquit her."

Holley formally notified the DA and Judge Keith Schwartz on Wednesday that Lindsay wasn't going to be accepting the plea deal that would have included jail time.

Lohan will now appear in front of Judge Stephanie Sautner on April 22 for her preliminary hearing.

Sources close to the case tell Radar Online that it's likely only investigating officers will be called by Deputy District Attorney Danette Meyers.

At the conclusion of the preliminary hearing, Judge Sautner will also determine if Lindsay violated terms of her probation, which could send Lohan back to jail for at least six months.

Credit: Radar Online

Lindsay Lohan -- The Perils of a Plea Bargain

Lindsay Lohan is rolling the dice, whether she plea bargains her grand theft case or goes to trial, because even if she cops a plea, the judge could still throw the book at her.

TMZ broke the story ... Judge Keith Schwartz has indicated he would give Lindsay 3 months in jail if she cops a plea. That sentence translates to 19 days because of jail overcrowding.

But sources connected with the case tell TMZ ... Judge Schwartz reserved the right to change the sentence depending on the evidence that surfaces during Friday's hearing. And here's the bad news for Lindsay.

-- We've learned prosecutor Danette Meyers -- who is asking for 6 months in jail -- will argue Lindsay's performance on probation has been "unsatisfactory." She has missed AA meetings, gone to class with tea laced with alcohol and missed court appearances.

-- As TMZ reported on February 9, Meyers will allege Lindsay has a history of stealing -- a $12,000 mink coat in 2008, a $400,000 necklace in 2009, and a $35,000 Rolex in 2010.

-- The judge will read and consider Lindsay's probation report. As TMZ first reported, there is information in that report which is extremely damaging to Lindsay, and could impact her sentence.

If the judge feels Lindsay's conduct is worse than he thought when he met with Shawn Holley a few weeks ago, he could up the sentence ... possibly to 6 months.

And here's the biggest problem for Lindsay. If she accepts the plea, Schwartz will place Lindsay on 3 years probation. And what are the chances Lindsay Lohan can stay out of trouble for 3 years?

Credit: TMZ

Lindsay Lohan's Klepto Past To Form Case

Lindsay Lohan has a history of stealing -- that's what the Los Angeles District Attorney will tell a judge who will decide whether to send the Mean Girls star to jail or not, Radar Online has exclusively learned.

Lindsay Lohan's lawyer must notify Judge Keith Schwartz by Wednesday, March 23 if she plans on taking a plea deal, and Radar Online is exclusively reporting that if the actress doesn't take the plea deal, Deputy District Attorney Danette Meyers will include as part of her case, past incidents in which Lindsay has been accused of theft.

"There is very damaging information about Lindsay's past evidence of thefts, including a stolen Rolex, which a friend of hers reported as stolen last April 2010, which will be made public if Lindsay doesn't take the plea deal. Lindsay was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department last spring after a friend reported that after leaving the Rolex at Lohan's apartment, it wasn't returned immediately. Actually, it was quite a bit of time later that the watch was returned to the person. The watch was valued at a whopping, 35k, and like the current theft case, Lindsay was photographed wearing the watch. Lindsay wasn't charged in that case because the victim became uncooperative as soon as the watch was returned. The D.A. will be sending investigators out from the office to talk to the victim. Meyers wants to know if there was a financial pay off" a source close to the situation tells us.

Lohan, 24, was also accused of stealing a mink coat from Maria Markova in New York City in January 2008. Markova said at the time that Lohan took the coat at a nightclub, 1 Oak. The coat was valued at $12k. Markova claimed she was sitting next to Lohan at the club when the coat was allegedly stolen. Markova said the next time she saw the coat, Lohan was wearing it in a magazine picture. Lindsay was not criminally charged in that incident either. "Meyers will be reviewing that information as well. It will absolutely be brought up either at the preliminary hearing or the trial. This will establish a pattern of behavior on, that Meyers will prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Lindsay is guilty in this case."

"It doesn't matter that Lindsay wasn't criminally charged in those previous incidents. Meyers can, and will subpoena police that investigated those, and as well as the accusers if she needs to. Lindsay has major entitlement issues, which have led her down this very dark road. If Lindsay is smart, she will take the plea deal. Lindsay won't know what will hit her if the case proceeds to a preliminary hearing, and trial. Meyers is tough as nails, make no mistake about it. Lindsay truly has no idea how bad this could get, and how fast. This could truly ruin her career. Look at the (Winona) Ryder case, her career suffered after the guilty conviction, and she didn't have the criminal record that Lindsay has," the source says.

Credit: Radar Online

Lindsay Lohan: Warming Up To Idea Of Jail Time

Lindsay Lohan's confidence is starting to wane -- sources close to LiLo tell us she is finally getting it through her head she can't avoid jail and is now "seriously considering" taking a plea deal.

As TMZ first reported, Judge Keith Schwartz offered LiLo and her attorney Shawn Holley a deal that includes three months in jail ... which get whittled down to 19 days because of jail overcrowding.

Lindsay has been adamant for weeks ... she would never take a plea deal because she feels she did nothing wrong. Sources close to Lindsay tell us she still maintains her innocence ... but reality is starting to sink in and Lindsay is beginning to understand the risks of going forward with a trial.

If she loses at trial, she could get more than a year in jail for the probation violation ... plus prison time for the felony grand theft.

If Lindsay accepts the deal, Holley must tell the judge on Wednesday. Lindsay will be back in court Friday to either take a plea or declare war.

Credit: TMZ

Lindsay Lohan Covers Up For Court Appearance

First, there was the oh-so-sexy minidress. Then came the white pants and low-cut top. But Thursday, Lindsay Lohan covered up for court, sporting a second skin taupe dress, black tights and patent heels.

The 24-year-old arrived in Los Angeles for her latest hearing with mom Dina and sister Ali by her side, and learned that Superior Court Judge Keith L. Schwartz is giving her two more weeks — until March 25 — to accept a plea deal in her necklace theft case.

If Lohan doesn’t accept the plea terms, which were undisclosed, the case will move toward a preliminary hearing in which evidence and testimony will be heard to see if a trial is warranted.

Though the actress is accused of stealing a $2,500 necklace from a Venice, Calif., jewelry store, sources close to the star say she believed she was loaned the necklace.

However, store owners recently stated, “Kamofie and Company never gave permission to Ms. Lohan to remove the necklace from the store.”

Credit: PEOPLE (Ken Lee)

Lindsay Lohan Will Get Jail in a Plea Deal

The next time Lindsay Lohan comes to court she may need to bring a toothbrush.

A tough-talking Superior Court Judge Keith Schwartz told the troubled actress Wednesday that the only way he'll accept a plea bargain in her felony theft case is if she goes to jail.

"I treat everybody the same," he told her at a hearing in Los Angeles. "I don’t care that you're Lindsay Lohan vs. John Doe or Jane Doe. That doesn't affect me."

The judge set a March 10 deadline: Return to his court that day with her decision or go before another judge for a preliminary hearing and later trial on a charge she stole a $2,500 necklace.

"If you plead in front of me, if this case is resolved in front of me, you are going to go to jail. Period," he said.

The actress faces a grand theft charge for allegedly walking away with the necklace from a jewelry store last month. Lohan has indicated it was all a mistake, that she thought she was allowed to borrow the necklace. Sources say her attorney may also claim it was wroth much less than $2,500, which would drop the case from a felony to a misdemeanor.

If Lohan decides against a plea deal next month and goes to the preliminary hearing, her risk of jail time remains. At that same hearing, the new judge will consider whether she should face punishment for violating her probation in an earlier DUI case. 

Credit: PEOPLE (Mike Fleeman and Howard Breuer)