Comedian Is Jailed for 3 Hours

Comedian Paula Poundstone, serving five years’ probation for endangering her adopted and foster children, was briefly jailed Tuesday after suffering a relapse during court-ordered drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

Poundstone was handcuffed by a bailiff and taken into custody at the direction of Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Bernard J. Kamins following a morning hearing.

Hours later, Kamins called the stand-up comedian back into his courtroom, ordered her freed from jail and instructed her to return to a Malibu residential treatment program. She spent about three hours behind bars.

“He was trying to get her attention and to encourage her to conform,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Gina Satriano said after the court proceedings. She said the relapse was a single incident in which Poundstone took some prohibited “medication.”

Satriano said the judge did not identify the medication or say how she got it. The prosecutor said Poundstone admitted the violation.

Poundstone, 41, had three adopted children and two foster children, ages 2 to 12, until they were removed from her home after she was arrested June 27.

She pleaded no contest in September to felony child endangerment and a misdemeanor charge of inflicting injury on a child. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dropped three counts of lewd acts upon a child.

The child endangerment charge stemmed from an incident June 6 when she drove the children to get ice cream while she was drunk, her attorney has said. Prosecutors have said the misdemeanor charge involved “inappropriate touching.”

Poundstone’s sentence included six months in a drug and alcohol treatment program, which was scheduled to end Dec. 5. She also is required to attend psychiatric counseling, participate in a child abuse prevention program, stay away from alcohol and drugs, complete 200 hours of community service and pay $1,000 in fines.

Poundstone has been enrolled in the Promises treatment program in Malibu. Satriano said the treatment center’s report to the judge noted that Poundstone had been making progress in her rehabilitation until she took the medication.

“The consequences were proportionate” to the violation, Satriano said of the judge’s action Tuesday.

Probation conditions require Poundstone to remain at the treatment center full time. Under the supervision of a Promises staff member, Poundstone had been allowed to leave for brief visits with her children or to her home, but that privilege was rescinded Tuesday, Poundstone spokesman Allan Mayer said.

Poundstone was ordered to return to court for another progress report Dec. 5. Kamins said he probably would extend her time in rehabilitation if she has a relapse.

Mayer said Poundstone’s performances in early December probably will be rescheduled.