She can’t sing and clearly can’t act, but the Paris Hilton show, the hottest law show on all networks these days, has captured the attention of America.  Like all good series, it ends with a moral for our times.  Unfortunately, most people were so caught up in the visuals that they missed it.  So I’m here to help.

Judge Michael Sauer made a determination that the sentence he would impose would send a message about the law that would ring across the land.  The Order of a Court will not be ignored without consequences.  Whether 45 days, as opposed to 37, is the right consequence is hardly important (unless you happen to be Paris).  That the sentence was hard, if not harsh, was the message.  It generated a great deal of debate, which is precisely what it was meant to do.  The message was general deterrence, and it is a legitimate message.  Who better to be the messenger than someone like Paris Hilton?

The judge’s move was bold.  Whether he was right does not matter, and can be debated all you want.  He was the judge, and he used his lawful authority to serve a proper message.  We can disagree with judges all we want (I know I do from time to time), but as long as the Court acts within its lawful and legitimate parameters, it has done its job.

Enter Sheriff Lee Baca.  Somebody somewhere probably has a clue as to his motivation, but not me.  Is he a great humanitarian?  Is he Judge Sauer’s political enemy? Is he a celeb lover?  Is he on the take from Kathy Hilton?  I wouldn’t know.  But I do know that he cannot possibly be so stupid, so out of touch with reality, to think that releasing Paris Hilton would not cause a public firestorm within seconds.  And so, I am constrained to conclude that he intentionally chose to smack Judge Sauer in the face and show the Court who holds the real power in Los Angeles. 

Quick segue to the return to court.  The County Attorney hauls Paris back to Court, where the Judge sends her back to jail.  We watch weepy Paris crying “Mommy” as she is forced to garb herself in a jumpsuit.   We get off the couch and check the refrigerator for avocado dip.  EOS, right?

What the hell is everyone thinking?  What happened to Lee Baca?  He spit in the judge’s face and walked.  Yes, gentle readers, this is the real moral of the story.  Sheriff Less Baca made an intentional decision to ignore Judge Sauer’s order and walked away with impunity. Hey, wait a second.  Isn’t that the very message that Judge Sauer was trying to stop?  Isn’t that why Paris was sent to jail in the first place. 

Aha!  Now the message is clear.  Everyone in our society, including celebrities, must pay the piper if they ignore a court order.  Except law enforcement.  Paris went to jail; Baca went home.  Paris makes amends; Baca makes reservations at Spagos.    So let’s get this message straight, you cannot disobey a court order with impunity, unless you wear a shield.  And that is the moral of this sad and unfortunate story.