Kiefer sentenced to jail
2007-12-06 10:01
Los Angeles - Kiefer Sutherland was sentenced to 48 days in jail in his drunken driving case, prosecutors said.
The actors appeared in court on Wednesday with his attorney for the sentencing.
He had pleaded no contest for driving with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit of .08 percent following his September 25 arrest.
Assistant City Attorney Dan Jeffries said a Superior Court judge ordered that the actor serve 48 days in Glendale city jail. Sutherland must complete the sentence by March 30, Jeffries said.
The actor was already on probation for a 2004 drunken driving arrest when he was stopped by police shortly after midnight as he left a Hollywood industry party at the trendy Area nightclub.
Authorities said he failed a field sobriety test after being pulled over for making an illegal U-turn.
He pleaded no contest in October to DUI and driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08 while still on probation for a previous arrest.
Sutherland had also pleaded no contest to a misdemeanour DUI charge in 2004.
He was sentenced in that case to five years probation, 50 hours of community service and ordered to attend an alcohol treatment programme.
Alcohol-related reckless driving
Authorities said he fulfilled the community service and alcohol treatment obligations.
The 40-year-old star of 24 was also convicted of alcohol-related reckless driving in 1993, according to the city attorney's office.
"I'm very disappointed in myself for the poor judgment I exhibited recently, and I'm deeply sorry for the disappointment and distress this has caused my family, friends and co-workers," Sutherland said in a statement issued after he entered his plea in the latest case.
The actor, who plays dashing federal counterterrorism agent Jack Bauer on 24, won last year's best actor Emmy.
Under the terms of his plea, Sutherland agreed to serve 30 days for driving with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit of .08 percent, as well as 18 days for violating his probation in the previous case.
He was originally scheduled to begin serving his sentence on December 21.
- AP