REALITY television star Nicole Richie's trial on charges of driving under the influence was delayed on Wednesday to allow a defense expert to testify, justice officials said. Richie - co-star of socialite Paris Hilton on the - could face jail over allegations she was high on alcohol and drugs when she was caught driving the wrong way down a Los Angeles freeway last year. Her trial will now take place on August 16, a court ruled.
The 25-year-old daughter of legendary soul singer Lionel Richie has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence, and is expected to challenge scientific evidence offered by prosecutors. At a hearing at Glendale Superior Court on Wednesday, commissioner Steven Lubell accepted a motion from Richie's lawyers requesting a delay in the case in order to allow a key defence expert to testify. In the motion filed last month, defence attorney Shawn Holley said the witness Terence McGee will challenge the prosecution's scientific evidence and the conclusions reached by their drug recognition expert.
His testimony will be crucial to Miss Richie's case and there is no other expert retained by the defense who can testify in this regard, Holley wrote. Richie, who is reportedly two months pregnant with the child of rock-star boyfriend Joel Madden, was not in court for Wednesday's hearing but Lubell said she must attend the trial in August. The waif-like celebrity was arrested on December 11 last year after police received reports of a car travelling the wrong way down a busy Los Angeles freeway.
She failed a roadside sobriety test and allegedly told officers she had taken painkiller Vicodin and smoked marijuana. She was later charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and an unspecified drug. (What is this?
) Post to del.icio.us Post to Newsvine Post to Facebook REALITY television star Nicole Richie's trial on charges of driving under the influence was delayed on Wednesday to allow a defense expert to testify, justice officials said.
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