Sheriff won’t let Paris do any TV interviews

updated 8:10 p.m. ET June 1, 2007

LOS ANGELES - Sheriff Lee Baca said Friday that Paris Hilton will not be allowed to give television interviews while serving her jail sentence and that aggressive steps were being taken to prevent cameras from being smuggled into the facility.

Hilton was ordered to begin her sentence by Tuesday at a county jail in Lynwood, about five miles south of Los Angeles.

Baca told the Los Angeles Times that deputies and jail employees have been told to treat the 26-year-old heiress like any other inmate.

“Paying a debt to society should not be an element of her celebrity,” Baca said. “Her occupation is publicity, but no one should profit in jail.”

Hilton could report to jail before Tuesday, but as of Friday afternoon had not done so, said sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore. She may report at any time of day, said Whitmore.

Hollywood photo agencies expect a photo of Hilton in jail would be worth big money.

“The reality is why don’t they just let her walk down the concrete carpet,” said Frank Griffin, co-owner of the Bauer-Griffin paparazzi agency, told the paper. “This is going to be turned into an event like the Oscars.”

Hilton was sentenced last month to 45 days for violating the terms of her probation in an alcohol-related reckless-driving case after repeatedly driving her car while her license was suspended.

Sheriff’s officials have said she will serve about 23 days behind bars because of state rules allowing shorter sentences for good behavior.

Baca said it was unclear whether Hilton will surrender at the court where she was sentenced or report straight to jail. He said authorities will not allow her to “be seen in handcuffs ... or in the back of a police car, forlorn and in handcuffs.”

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Once there, Hilton will go through the normal intake process, said Baca. That involves undergoing an interview by jail staff and evaluations for any medical or other needs.

“Jails are not circuses and not places where ‘fun’ is the priority,” Baca said. “Jail should be a corrective learning experience.”

The jail houses about 2,200 women, but officials have said Hilton will be kept away from the general population. Baca said no decision has been made about whether she’ll share a cell with anyone.

Hilton will “experience her incarceration as all other women will experience it,” said Baca. “She won’t get better food, she won’t get different lockup time or a different environment.”

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