Celebrities protest lack of justice for violent criminals in Hollywood
Photo Illustration by Tina Wallace
After artist Chris Brown recently assaulted yet another person, a group of celebrities, including Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Bynes, and Nicole Richie, have banded together to protest Hollywood’s lack of justice.
“Violent people like Chris Brown who commit crimes need to be locked up and given the sentence any non-famous person would receive for their crime,” said Richie, an actress and criminal justice reform activist.
Brown is among a group of celebrities who have been sentenced to minimal prison sentences for violent crimes against both men and women—sentences that would have much worse consequences for those who aren’t famous.
Richie and multiple other celebrities have set up camp outside Los Angeles City Hall to protest such unfair sentences.
“Driving drunk isn’t hurting anyone else, so of course I wouldn’t be imprisoned for that,” said the Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter. “But it’s sick to think these other celebrities are physically hurting people, and they get off scot-free.”
The protestors believe Brown should be subjected to more than just community service and rehab, since celebrities can often find a way out of these punishments.
In an exclusive interview with the Tomato, Brown said the community service he was sentenced to for beating up his ex-girlfriend Rihanna really taught him a lesson.
“The three hours I did out of the 100 I was supposed to do was really eye-opening,” said Brown. “It really made me re-evaluate the abuse.
“But, in the end you know, boys will be boys. Sometimes you just get really pissed off and got to punch the problems. I don’t think I deserve jail for just being angry,” he said.
Regardless of what Brown deems an acceptable punishment, American courts often send violent criminals to prison for years instead of just days.
Singer and actress Paris Hilton is outraged because she had to spend 23 days in prison for drunk driving, while celebrities like Brown and Charlie Sheen are getting off with equal or lesser sentences than her own.
“I hardly did anything at all and I had to spend almost a full month in jail,” said Hilton. “If I had to go through all that for more than three whole weeks, so should these violent criminals.”
Richie and Carter have both stated that until the judicial system starts to make a change and come down hard on violent celebrities, they won’t budge from the multi-million dollar camps they’ve set up on the lawn of City Hall.
