(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Lindsay Lohan has insisted she would never steal as she wasnt raised that way.
The troubled actress pleaded not guilty to felony grand theft at a Los Angeles court earlier this week, after she was accused of taking a necklace worth $2,500 from a store in Venice, California.
She has now taken to her Facebook page to refute the charges, and to blast the way her court appearance was handled. Lindsay wore a tight white dress to attend, which some said was supposed to represent innocence.
I just want to be on set again, and left alone to just work! fyi- I would never steal, in case people are wondering. I was not raised to lie, cheat, or steal... also, what I wear to court shouldnt be front page news. it's just absurd. god bless xox L (sic), she wrote.
Lindsay had her probation for her 2007 conviction for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) revoked during the hearing. Her bail was set at $40,000 - $20,000 for the probation violation and the same amount for the new charge.
According to law enforcement sources, there is security video footage of Lindsay wearing the necklace in question, which went missing after she was at the store. Shop workers reported the lost necklace to police, who made moves to search Lindsays rented home in Venice. The piece of jewellery was later handed in to police, and although it is unknown who by it is thought Lindsays stylist gave it to authorities.
The star has apparently insisted the item was on loan to her and that she did not take it. TMZ reports she has even offered to take a polygraph test to prove her innocence, but her request was turned down.
Lindsays lawyer Shawn Chapman Holley has revealed she may be interested in a plea deal, as long as it does not involved jail time.
"Ms. Lohan maintains her innocence, and now that I've seen the police reports, I believe the case is entirely defensible," she told CNN. "Having said that, we will entertain a discussion concerning a plea if it means no jail so that she can move forward with her recovery and her career."
This is the latest in a string of legal issues which have engulfed the 24-year-old star over recent months.
She spent time in prison and rehab last year after she violated the terms of her 2007 DUI conviction by not attending enough alcohol education classes.
Upon her release she failed two of her court-ordered random drugs tests, and then voluntarily checked into the Betty Ford Center in California. Lindsay received treatment at the clinic for three months before her release in January, and was said to be determined to get her life back on track.
If convicted of the new charge she could receive a three-year prison sentence. (C) Cover Media