Mean Girls star Lindsay Lohan, 24, has refused to plead guilty to stealing a $2,500 necklace from a California jewelry store, reports People. Yesterday (March 23), Los Angeles prosecutors confirmed that the actress turned down a plea deal that included jail time and has opted to moved forward to trial.
"Ms. Lohan has maintained her innocence from the moment this case was filed and she has never wavered," said her attorney Shawn Holley in a statement. "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."
On April 22, a preliminary hearing will be held, and a judge will hear testimony to decide if there is enough evidence to go to trial.
A source close to the star says she believes that the necklace was loaned to her even if the owners of the jewelry store deny this.
If Lohan is convicted, she faces up to three years behind bars, but the judge may also decide to send her to prison for violating her probation in her DUI case.
One condition of her probation – being forbidden to be in a place where alcohol is the main product sold – is a bit of a legal grey area since many drinking establishments also operate as restaurants.
Although she appeared to avoid alcohol, Lohan spent last week partying at various New York nightspots. Refusing to change her habits increases the risk of relapse according to several experts.