Entertainment Briefs
Starlet pleads to Bloom burglary
LOS ANGELES - A reality starlet accused of burglarizing Orlando Bloom's house pleaded no contest Monday to felony burglary and was sentenced to up to six months in county jail after reaching a deal with prosecutors.
Alexis Neiers, 18, an aspiring model who has been the subject of the E! Entertainment Television reality show "Pretty Wild," entered the plea shortly before her trial was slated to begin. Bloom, star of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Lord of the Rings" film franchises, had been expected to testify.
As part of the deal, Neiers was sentenced to three years of formal probation and six months in county jail for the July break-in. She also agreed to stay away from Bloom and his Hollywood Hills home.
She will begin serving her sentence June 24. She had rejected plea deals that required jail time but was facing up to six years in state prison if convicted at trial.
She could be sent to state prison for two years if she violates probation, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza said.
"After lengthy considerations and fighting the best pretrial fight we could, we decided it was in Alexis' best interests to take responsibility for her small part in this incident," her attorney Jeffery K. Rubenstein said.
Neiers is among six people accused of targeting homes of celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Rachel Bilson and stealing millions in jewelry, clothing and other luxury goods.
Some of the items pilfered from Bloom's home, including two expensive watches, have not been recovered. Neiers may be responsible for part of up to $680,000 in restitution that may be ordered to be paid in the case, but her share may also be deemed minimal.
Three of the other people charged in the burglary at Bloom's home have not yet gone to trial. Neiers told police she was drunk when she went to the house and didn't take anything there.
Rubenstein said Neiers is planning to move on with her life and will not have any involvement in the other burglary cases.
Rubenstein said Bloom's expected testimony was a factor in Neiers' plea.
"Orlando Bloom's willingness to come testify did not help our case," Rubenstein said. He added that prosecutors appeared to have enough evidence to convict Neiers.
"We thought this was a just result," Deputy District Attorney Sarika Kim said after the hearing.
A preliminary hearing for the remaining defendants is scheduled for May 25.
Man cleared
in Peet burglary
NEW YORK - A jury has cleared a man suspected of breaking into actress Amanda Peet's Manhattan apartment and taking her jewelry.
Henry Santos was acquitted Monday of burglary. His lawyer said the 27-year-old Santos was misidentified as the intruder a baby sitter spotted in Peet's loft Oct. 27.
Peet's husband, screenwriter David Benioff, testified that the then-pregnant Peet "was panicked" when she learned a thief had gotten into their home through a skylight. The couple wasn't home when it happened. Peet didn't testify.
Peet's spokesman and Santos' lawyer didn't immediately respond to inquiries Monday.
Peet's films include "2012" and "The Whole Nine Yards." Benioff's credits include "Troy" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." The couple has two daughters.
Jonas shags fly balls before game
ARLINGTON, Texas - Nick Jonas got game.
The teenage pop star of the Jonas Brothers band put on a Texas Rangers uniform during batting practice Saturday. He took some swings in the cage and made several nice running catches while shagging flys in the outfield.
Nick's brother Joe was on the field pregame, too, but not in uniform. The Jonas Brothers live in North Texas.
- The Associated Press