The behavior of the press in the Paris Hilton case has been shoddy but when has it not been about anything in the last several years?

I think the real story is how completely inept the LA justice system is at handling a lawbreaker who is not poor. It is not much of an exaggeration to say that when a psychologist stormed into the Twin Towers saying his client was objecting to the bad food and might kill herself, she was - incredibly - out the door before the end of the day.

And of course the ugly undercurrent to all this was another of Paris' minions was perhaps simultaneously offering to pay them for their trouble, a contiribtuion to the Police Benevolent Association, perhaps?

Despite the original judges' attempt to treat Paris as just another drunk driver who might have killed you or me, the overall structure of the LA justice system simply has no mechanism, and perhaps no conception as to how to treat people fairly.

Being in jail is not about breaking the law. Being in jail is about breaking the law and not having the money to get out.

Strange that you are more insistent on Ms. Hilton serving her sentence than you are the other inmates (not so wealthy) that get released every day due to overcrowding in the same jail. You also seem to forget that some of those people getting released are violent offenders. Ms. Hilton should get treated like any other offender, as much as that is possible. She needn't be treated to more jail time because she is rich.

Mr. Hitchens: I have the greatest respect for your work, but didn't you used to be a Marxist? I didn't think you gave that up along with your work at 'The Nation.' Hilton may not deserve this at all, but can you not see the populism as a misdirected desperation for the American rich and powerful to be held accountable for their actions? The sex is not the reason Hilton is distasteful, even if sex is the reason she is famous: it's the hubris, the willful ignorance and spoiled attitude which give rise to a sense that the rules do not apply to her. Please think of this as the "scarlet dollar sign."