Jessica Sierra back in court to resolve probation transfer

Jessica Sierra in court this morning. More photos from this morning's court appearance [Carrie Pratt | Times]

Jessica Sierra was back in court this morning trying to resolve a problem with her probation transfer to a California rehab center.

California probation officials say Florida violated an inter-state compact by allowing Sierra to go to California without prior approval from probation officials there.

Sierra's attorney, John Fitzgibbons, told Hillsborough Circuit Judge Daniel Perry he had worked out a solution.

Florida Department of Correction officials will send an e-mail to California authorities today to expedite a probation transfer request for Sierra, Fitzgibbons said. He hopes to have the issue resolved and Sierra back in rehab in Pasadena by the end of week.

"Right now it's just red tape and bureaucracy," Fitzgibbons said, who noted that Sierra has been sober for 99 days.

Sierra was joined in court by her grandparents, Jose and Betty Sierra. "We're very happy with the progress she's making, and we're focused on her complete recovery," her grandmother said.

Sierra was placed on probation in November after being charged with battery and cocaine possession charges, accused of throwing a cocktail glass at a Hyde Park Cafe patron's head and having the drug in her purse. A drunken episode in Ybor City in December caused her to violate the terms of her probation and face new charges of disorderly intoxication and obstructing an officer without violence.

Related content: From celeb to slammer

-- Kevin Graham, Times staff writer

Comments

[melissa]

Good for her. Now leave the girl alone and let her try to recover without all this unprofessional activity by the courts. Get your acts together... or is that not in the law books????

[Jb]

Why do you keep printing stories about that trailer trash,good she's in California,now she's there problem,I'm sure they have trailers parks out there that are trashy enough for her.
NO ONE CARES ABOUT THAT LOSER,PLEASE STOP WASTING VALUABLE TIME AND SPACE ON HER,SHE IS NOT OR NEVER WILL BE ANYMORE THAN A STINKING TRAMP

[Jim]

The courts have no interest in her getting help, else what would the courts have to do without offenders. They justify their existence with this kind of bureaucratic nonsense.

[Sharon]

Jb, some of us do care about a lovely and talented young girl having her future possibly ruined by a weakness that she hasn't been able to overcome alone. I hope that the rehab works because I'm in her cheering section.

[Dr_Dug]

And she's famous for what again..? Who cares! Send her and all the crack heads to California. We don't need anymore wannabes or drug users in Florida. Stay there Jessica..we don't want you in Forida!!

[Curt]

I don't think this is unprofessional activity by the courts. California just like Florida has a very swamped probation system. The sun belt tends to be a gathering place for criminals. Jessica Sierra is a criminal, and California does not want her in their probation system. She violated the law in Florida not California. They want her to go through system in a proper way, because they want no responsibilty for her. Just because a Florida judge said she could go there doesn't make it right. The judges jurisdiction does not include Los Angeles County.

[LZ]

If being in California saves the poor girls life, then let her be! We all make mistakes in our lives some bigger than others! It doesn't make her trailer trash! At least she is trying to fix the mistakes that she has made, unlike alot of others. I give her alot of credit, it takes alot of strength to do what she is doing! Right on Jess!!!

Somebody put her in charge of the DNC, at least she knows where she's going!

[Jb]

very well said,Curt

[Steven Tamayo]

this is not news...

[Jb]

Lovely and Talented,uh huh,well it seems like I'm not the only one who thinks she's a piece of crap,as far as ruined by a weekness,its called "STUPIDY",and lack of"EDUCATION",and Rehab will work up unto she's released and reverts back to her normal self,TT

[melissa]

JB.... interesting. I do beleive there are alot of professional,EDUCATED persons that have drug addictions. The diffrence is some of them have the money to bail themselves out! So to make a comment that only "stupid" and "uneducated" people use drugs and go to rehab... well, then i'd have to say that is a VERY uneducated comment!

[LZ]

Jb, untill you walk in someone shoes KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT! I did the same thing she is doing except with pills, yes it was stupidity, but it was also after my 3.5 old daughter died in my arms! I went through rehab and have been clean for two years! And by the way I am VERY EDUCATED!!! You don't know what she's had to deal with in her personal life. Don't be so quick to judge!

[Pat]

She would not be in such a nice rehabif she had not been on the show. Seems she has time to dye her hair.....I am not sorry or want my tax dollars taking care of her because she made bad decisions... sick of it let her be responsibel for herself for a change.

She dyed her hair ... so she has too much time on her hands???? lol You people are ridiclous!

Pat, she obviously has money to pay for own mistakes. You're not spending your tax dollars on her! & she is obviously being responsible for her mistakes she's in rehab! Try reading the article again!

[rhonda]

ARE THERE ANY NEWS STORIES IN THE TIMES ANYMORE.?

IT IS OUR VERSION OF THE NY POST
TABLOID JOURNALISM

WHERE IS PAGE SIX?

[Curt]

I would like to ask each and everyone of you that are jumping on jb's case if they would have enjoyed being on the receiving end of the cocktail glass she threw. She is not a lovely talented girl with a weakness. She is a violent criminal. Many people out there can live their lives as alcholics or drug adiction without smashing cocktail glasses in peoples faces. She was given two very lucky breaks in the legal system.

a violent criminal???? huh... I don't know that i'd go that far. How do you know what that guy might have said to her to provoke her.

[Cindy]

While I don't care for her and think she has squandered the opportunities she has been given...I only wish her luck but her day in the public is past.

I feel sorry for JB and think he must be a very sad and lonely individual. Every post I have ever seen him make he is trashing some individual.... including myself for stating my opinion... even though he has no way of knowing me. I thought the comment sections are for folks to speak their mind but every story seems to really 'hit home' for him. I am glad that I don't have that kind of anger towards individuals i really know nothing about. Must be nice to be so perfect, high and mighty to have the credibility to stand in judgment of everyone!

Curt, I wouldn't have wanted to be on the receiving end of the glass as Mr. Hadad was. I also wouldn't have wanted to be the victim of Hadad's petty theft back when he was 21. (Look it up on the Clerk of Court's website.) There are no perfect people. People make mistakes. Jessica made some bad ones, but none are so bad that she is beyond redemption. In fact what she did is so minor in criminal terms that had it not involved someone with some minor celebrity, it wouldn't have merited one single sentence in the paper or news. It shouldn't be meriting that now either, but yet here we all are. She didn't want this latest news story nor did she create the circumstances that created it. She wanted to stay in California and treatment. She's here because the Department of Corrections seems intent on making she and her attorney jump through hoops at both her and the taxpayers' expense. The latter bit should bother you; it certainly bothers me. What was wrong with mail-in status? It wouldn't have cost California taxpayers anything; neither is her treatment. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line...until you get a govt. agency like the DOC involved.

[jeff]

One thing was overlooked with these comments. She also made racist remarks by calling the police officer a cracker and she should have been charged with prostitution for offering the officer oral to let her go. So I agree with JB; she is a piece of crap. The people sticking up for her are going off her phony image created by that idiotic TV show.

[Destin]

Curt, I wouldn't have wanted to be on the receiving end of the glass either, but I also wouldn't have wanted her start in life either. Jessica has made some bad mistakes, but none are so bad that she is beyond redemption or has truly earned the label "violent criminal". The truth is that what she did is so minor in criminal terms that had it not involved someone with some minor celebrity, it wouldn't have merited one single sentence in the paper or news. It shouldn't be meriting that now either, but yet here we all are. To be clear, though, she didn't want to this latest story nor did she create the parole circumstances that created it. She wanted to stay in California and treatment. She's here because the Department of Corrections seems intent on making she and her attorney jump through hoops at both her AND the taxpayers' expense. The latter bit should bother you; it certainly bothers me. What was wrong with mail-in status? It wouldn't have cost California taxpayers anything...just as her treatment is costing them nothing. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line...until you get a govt. agency like the DOC involved.

Sorry about the double post. I didn't think the first one had gone through and edited the Hadad bit out of the second one, even though it is verifiable. My point wasn't to come across as judging anyone, though; I feel quite the opposite - that the only one qualified to judge this girl is the actual judge in the case and God. I wish her well.

As I never watched that season (or most) of American Idol, I can't say I would be one to think she is lovely and talented and wonderful based upon her persona on that show. However, it is clear she struggles with addiction issues. I give credit to anyone who tries to get help; it is much easier to NOT get help.

If one wants to prevent repeat offenders, one must treat the cause of the crime. Often with addicts that means treating their dependency. That means rehab as jail and prisons do not rehabilitate as needed. This is not to say that they should not be punished. One does not preclude the other. Her punishment was apt in this case when compared to others and similar sentencing. In the meantime, paperwork is causing stress to all involved and is in fact causing MORE work for officials. Doesn't make much sense. Typical government at work.

PS, love when people click on a link to a story, read the story, comment that the story is a waste of time, THEN come back some more. Speaking of not making sense...

The ignorance regarding addiction on these pages is mind boggling and saddening considering the amount of information readily available on the same internet people use to comment on new articles.

[alan]

To all of the haters who's spitting on this woman: "he that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone."

[Jb]

Thanks,Curt/Jeff,most people don't like the ones who tell it like it is,AAAA Cindy,I'm soooo looonley,and very very sad,boo hoo,(don't even know if I can sleep tonight)
peace