USA ROBERT DOWNEY JR ORDERED TO CONTINUE WITH REHABILITATION

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(8 Aug 1998) English/Nat • • A municipal court judge has ordered Hollywood actor Robert Downey Junior to continue • with a strict drug and alcohol rehabilitation programme. • • Downey Jr. was back in court on Friday for a hearing on the progress of his rehabilitation - part of his sentence for recent drugs and firearm convictions. • • Despite efforts from his attorney, the judge refused to lift tough probationary restrictions, which could see the actor return to jail if he goes back to his life of drugs and drinking. • • Robert Downey Junior was under siege when he arrived at the Malibu Municipal Court. • • Hiding behind dark sunglasses, he remained all smiles as he was surrounded by the media - at times his path was blocked as he tried to make his way into the courtroom. • • Downey was back in court to give a progress report on his drug rehabilitation programme, which was part of his sentence for recent drugs and firearms convictions. • • His attorney spent an hour in chambers, but failed to persuade the judge to make concessions that might make it easier for Downey to work. • • Judge Lawrence Mira refused to lift tough probationary restrictions, saying he still wasn't convinced that the Hollywood hearthrob could stay away from hard drugs. • • SOUNDBITE: (English) • It's very difficult for you to maintain sobriety. You may take a look at a probation report, if you choose - many, many, many months ago in which you rather candidly said you didn't know whether or not you'd be able to maintain sobriety and that's business. That's a call you have to make. I believe you can pretty much do anything you want to do but it isn't going to be my decision and I have to say quite frankly here, we have pretty much exhausted, I think, the rehabilitative methods that we can make here. • SUPER CAPTION: Lawrence Mira, Municipal Court Judge • • The possibility of being jailed for violating his probation makes it impossible to insure Downey for movie work. • • The wayward actor was ordered back to court for another progress update in December. • • Downey has been living in a residential rehabilitation centre at an undisclosed location, but will now move out and take part in an outpatient programme. • • SOUNDBITE: (English) • Well, Robert's been in a residential programme for the last 120 days, so he's been involved in treatment programmes, lives in the facility and the person who is in charge of the facility was in court today. • SUPER CAPTION: Ira Reiner, Downey's Attorney • • The actor's legal troubles began in June 1996 when he was stopped for speeding on Pacific Coast Highway. • • Police searched his car and cocaine, heroin and a pistol. • • A month later he was found passed out on a child's bed in a neighbour's home. • • He was sentenced to three years' probation after pleading no-contest to drug and weapons charges. • • Despite stints in recovery, probation was revoked because of drug use and he was sentenced to six months in jail. • • Downey, the star of Chaplin, Natural Born Killers and Restoration, was released in March after 113 days. • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

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