Kiefer Sutherland pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor drunk driving charge in a Los Angeles court yesterday, and now faces at least 48 days in jail.  If the judge sees fit, Sutherland could spend up to a year in jail.  This latest DUI for Kiefer stems from a FOX Fall TV event that was held a couple weeks back in Hollywood.  After the party, Kiefer got in his car, made an illegal U-turn, and was subsequently pulled over and arrested.  The plea deal that Sutherland and his lawyers reached was interesting in that it ensured that Sutherland's jail time would not interfere with the production schedule of 24.

To make sure that 24 and FOX will not be adversely affected by Kiefer's jail time, Sutherland and his lawyers sacrificed what would have been a shorter sentence.  As per the plea deal, sentencing will occur on December 21, which happens to be the day 24 goes on their Winter production break.  At that time, Kiefer will have to spend his first 18 days in jail.  After that, he'll go back to work.  However, he'll have to complete his remaining 30 days of jail time before July 1, 2008.  Also per the plea deal, Kiefer will not be released early, sent home with a electronic bracelet, or any other typical celebrity loophole.  These things are expressly forbidden in the plea deal.  Kiefer will actually serve his time in jail.

Sutherland could have taken the easy way out and received the minimal jail time.  However, he decided to put 24 and FOX before himself in this instance and do whatever he could to not mess with the show.  Of course, one could argue that he already did mess with the show by driving drunk, again.  24 fans can now breath a little sigh of relief, knowing that season 7 of 24 will not be effected by this situation.


-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer
Source: AP
(Image Courtesy of FOX)