The issue I’d like to exam is; was justice served in the Alexis Neiers burglary prosecution?

Statement of Facts-
Alexis Neiers, of the E! Channel’s Pretty Wild, was arrested and charged in connection
with the burglary of actor Orlando Bloom’s Beverly Hills home in which $600,000.00
worth of jewelry, paintings and cash were stolen. She was accused of being a part of
crew, dubbed by the media as the “Bling Ring” or “Burglar Bunch”, that was suspected
in burglarizing the homes of many Hollywood celebrities including, Orlando Bloom,
Megan Fox, Lindsay Lohan, Audrina Partridge, Rachel Bilson and Paris Hilton. Under a
plea arrangement, 18 year old Neiers pled no contest to burglary and received a sentence
of 3 years of felony probation and 6 months in the L.A. County Jail. She was released
from jail after serving just 30 days of her 180 day sentence.

Law-
The penalties in California for burglary are varied and can include the following:
probation, two years, four years or six years in state prison. When you receive probation,
you could serve no jail time, or get up to a maximum of 365 days in a county jail. If you
are denied probation, you are sent to state prison for a minimum of two years, and up to a
maximum of six years.

California law does not prohibit criminals from profiting by selling their account of
the crimes they commit. In Keenan v. Superior Court, 40 P. 3d 718, the Supreme
Court of California struck down the California Victims Rights Law that did bar
convicted criminals from selling the story of their crimes as unconstitutional.

Analysis-
The evidence against Alexis Neiers was compelling. Neiers was caught on video
surveillance cameras leaving the home of Orlando Bloom carrying stolen loot. When the
police searched Neiers’ family home, they found a Chanel necklace stolen in an earlier
burglary of Lindsay Lohan’s home and yet Neiers was never charged in connection with
the Lohan burglary.

With evidence implicating Neiers in at least two felony burglaries the Honorable Judge
Leslie A. Swain approved a plea arrangement that gave Alexis Neiers just 3 years
probation and 180 days in the L.A. County Jail. That’s right just 3 years probation
and 180 days in the L.A. County Jail for stealing at least $600,000 worth of Orlando
Blooms’ personal property. Judge Swain could have given her the full 365 days in
county jail with probation, or she could denied her probation and sentenced her to 2,
4 or even 6 years in state prison. Instead the judge sentenced her to 3 years probation
and 180 days in the L.A. County Jail, knowing she would serve just 30 days behind bars.
It is hard to believe that if Neiers did not have an E! camera crew recording her trial, (the
first few episodes of Pretty Wild chronicle her burglary arrest and trial), that she would
have received the same sentence. Everyday young adults in California are sentenced to
far longer jail terms for stealing far less.

And because California law does not prohibit convicted criminals from profiting by
selling or depicting accounts of their criminal behavior, Alexis Neiers is now a well paid
reality television star.

Ironically enough, the last few days of Neiers jail sentence were served in the same cell
block as Lindsay Lohan, and to add insult to injury, (remember, a stolen Chanel necklace
belonging to Lindsay Lohan was found in the Neiers’ family home), after leaving jail
Alexis exclusively told E! News that Lindsay Lohan was crying all the time in jail.

Conclusion-
In conclusion, justice was not served. The only price Alexis Neiers paid for felony
burglary was 3 years probation and 30 days in the L.A. County Jail.

The arrest and conviction for burglary did not negatively affect Alexis Neiers’ life. On
the contrary, as a result of her crime Neiers was given a reality show on E! and is now a
celebrity herself.

What kind of message does that send to the young adults that watch Pretty Wild?