Farrah Fawcett Son Back To Rehab, She Weighs 86 Lbs

LOS ANGELES — A judge is giving the son of Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal one last chance to kick his drug habit. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Scott Millington on Friday transferred two felony drug cases against Redmond O'Neal to a court that could send him to a stringent rehab program.

But he sternly warned the 24-year-old that he if he fails at rehab _ as he has at least three times before _ he's going to prison.

"Understand if I see you in that seat again, it's not going to be pretty," Millington told a somber-looking O'Neal.

O'Neal appeared in a jail jumpsuit and told Millington he was motivated by Fawcett's ailing health to stay clean. He said Fawcett weighs roughly 86 pounds and that he is ashamed of himself for recent relapses and his April 5 arrest on suspicion of taking heroin to a Los Angeles area jail facility.

Fawcett was recently released from a Los Angeles hospital after suffering complications from a medical procedure she had in Germany. The "Charlie's Angels" actress is suffering from anal cancer.

"I'm just really upset with myself," O'Neal said at one point during the hearing.

Last week, he acknowledged a probation violation to a 2008 drug conviction and was in court Friday for sentencing. The actor has two other drug cases, including one filed after his recent arrest.

O'Neal and his father were arrested in September at the actor's Malibu home when deputies performing a probation sweep say they found methamphetamine at the house. Ryan O'Neal is in an 18-month drug diversion program after pleaded guilty to a felony drug charge.

Redmond O'Neal on Friday changed his plea in that case and pleaded no contest to a felony drug charge. Millington sent the matter to a drug court for sentencing on April 30.

That court could send O'Neal to a more stringent rehab program, but Millington warned O'Neal that if he fails, he would likely be going to prison for at least three years.

A judge hearing the case involving O'Neal's April 5 arrest could consolidate his three drug cases, or impose a different sentence, Millington said.

Neither Fawcett nor Ryan O'Neal attended Friday's hearing. Redmond O'Neal's attorney declined to comment.

Comments

[Cogs]

12:05 PM on 04/20/2009

He will stop using if he is ready. That's when rehab works.

[OGoodGrief]

11:38 AM on 04/20/2009

People addicted to drugs or alcohol are selfish. This kid should be ashamed of himself. While his mom is dying, he's out having a pity party for himself instead of doing what he can for her and spending what little time she has left being a part of her life. Too bad the judge didn't have the courage to just sentence him to jail. After multiple times in rehab, it's obvious he doesn't want to get better. Farrah doesn't need this stress in her life right now. Jail would help him kick the habit very quickly. It worked for Robert Downey, Jr.

[Steamboater]

06:43 AM on 04/21/2009

It only worked for Downey because he really had a career; Redmond doesn't. Downey had something to look forward to. Whether alcohol or drugs though, addiction is also an illness. It's too simplistic to look at someone and say he's just selfish. There's a selfishnes­s yes in craving something but all in all, it's a sickness and should be dealt with as such. It does no one any good if you force him into a treatment program or imprison him if that person isn't ready to do anything about it. You also have to change the friends you have and stay away from those who are users.

[Harrier]

12:46 AM on 04/20/2009

Fawcett has always been a class act always. At 5'6" she is 30# underweigh­t. Unfortunat­ely-right now cancer is taking the 62 year actress's' life.

[cruisepuppy7452a]

04:40 PM on 04/19/2009

Sing me a river. Look, the kid isn't going to change in some frou frou rehab hotel. Not going to happen. You do not improve until you have hit rock bottom, have lost everything­, lost the respect and love of the friends and family that were your only support system. When you are tired of selling everything you own, your own body for a fix, doing the most vile and degrading of things to get a last hit until next time, have your behind beaten to a pulp and left for dead? He might take it seriously. Nah, a stint in a jail cell is the only answer. Addicts do not change. They may quit using for a while, until the next time, and the next. Hard core, scare the pants off of you, with a harsh piece of reality is what sobers a man or woman up. I knew addicts, and the only way they came out of it, clean, are living normal lives was to spend time in jail. No Bail, no bond, 3-5 in a cell with no way out but to do it on your own. Its harsh, its cold, but that is all that reaches them.

[harriettubman]

10:35 PM on 04/19/2009

Some people's rock bottom is death.

[AbeMartin]

10:36 AM on 04/19/2009

Ryan O'Neal and Tatum O'Neal have spent most of their adult lives battling addictions caused by the repeated physical and verbal abuse of their father, the used-to-be -amous, Ryan, Sr.

I pray that both of these kids get their lives together, and I also pray that Farrah Fawcett is able to deal with her terrible illnesses pain free. As for Ryan, you have enough money from your fortunate investment­s in U-Stor frachises to hire sparring partners who you can whale on in your sad macho imitation of manhood. But, truth is, I hope you spend your remaining days, living in a refrigerat­or box under an overpass on the I-5 getting victimized by the winos and meth tweakers..

[euthman]

09:34 PM on 04/18/2009

If opiates were legally sold in this country, Redmond could have the drug he is addicted to in controlled­, standardiz­ed doses at affordable cost. He could function normally in society, care for his ailing mother, and hold down a job. He would not be supporting a murderous criminal class responsibl­e for the deaths of thousands and the theft of untold amounts of property.

But that's just a pipe dream.

[Wake-up]

12:51 AM on 04/19/2009

How can anyone function normally addicted to opiates?

[Eddy333]

09:52 AM on 04/19/2009

You must not know much about opiates.

People function fairly normally on them all the time. People who are addicted, people who use it for pain.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want my kid's school bus driver using the crap, but just pointing out that there are plenty of surprising­ly functional heroin addicts out there.

[rdiaz921]

09:58 AM on 04/19/2009

Well he can't. But it will be in a CONTROLLED environmen­t - since that's what he seems to be lacking - self control.

[harriettubman]

10:36 PM on 04/19/2009

Oh, please. Another "make drugs legal" advocate. We can't even keep up with the people who have 10 DUI's and still driving, let alone having a crack or meth head driving toward you.

[alsm9]

11:26 AM on 04/20/2009

Because you cannot control what other people choose to do. That includes drunk driving I'm afraid. There are only so many laws you can pass. And clearly that doesn't always work, people still do it. Making meth or heroin legal will not stop them from getting behind a wheel no more than keeping it illegal. Life will always have it's dangers. I don't think it's a bad idea to make narcotics legal. I could crash underworld crime. Although they'd just find something else to traffic I'm sure....

[Uppity1]

08:59 PM on 04/18/2009

What's sadder than Farrah's battle with cancer is the media's coverage of it. Remember two weeks ago when one website reported she was unconsciou­s? This totally unverified report was picked up by every celebrity and news website. They all ran with it, but it turned out she was in hospital for a hematoma. Not a single lazy journo can get off their ass and look at the other angles of this story. Not one has reported on the alternativ­e treatment she's been having in Germany. Not one! How much does it cost for a phone call to Germany? I'd be really interested to know what motivates someone to travel to Europe for treatment. Wouldn't it be of interest to the tens of thousands of Americans who suffer from cancer? Or is anything offshore regarded as irrelevant­?
Keep up the fight Farrah, you deserve better than the way you've been treated by the media over the last three years.

[harriettubman]

10:36 PM on 04/19/2009

Surely makes one wonder what they're teaching in journalism school.

[punkindmb]

10:41 AM on 04/20/2009

There is an actual school for journalist­? I thought one just took a position on the issues and ran with it.

[kolorkin]

07:02 PM on 04/18/2009

gosh, shame on the father!!! If he's living with a drug-addic­t father, how you expect the son to stay clean?

[donorman]

10:00 PM on 04/18/2009

Are you making excuses for him? He's 24 yrs. old. He's a big boy.

[TigersEye]

06:58 PM on 04/18/2009

I'm going to fly down there myself and b*tch-slap that kid into oblivion. His mother has been going through treatment for cancer and he still can't get his act together? He's been in and out of rehab, it's not working. He needs a little TigersEye bootcamp.

[macbabe]

07:09 PM on 04/20/2009

Army Boot Camp would work better!!

[mergina]

04:51 PM on 04/18/2009

It's time you stopped messing up your own life and stood behind your mother in her time of need.

[Chaimirija]

11:59 PM on 04/18/2009

just like she was there for you..ha

[miastella]

03:29 PM on 04/18/2009

Not only has Redmond got a poor role model in his father, but his two other 1/2 siblings have substance issues, too. This family would have these issues no matter who they were. I feel bad for Farrah who stated that stress wasn't good for her recovery. I hope Redmond can hold it together until she passes. He might not get a pass from prison to say goodbye.

[Balzac]

01:48 PM on 04/18/2009

It's very sad that Farrah's son is facing these petty drug charges while his mother is struggling for her life against cancer.

I don't care what drugs he was taking, he shouldn't be locked up for personal quantities of any substance. I hate the idea that he could be in jail while his mother may be living her final days.

May [choose deity] have mercy on the drug war hypocrites­, because I won't.

[OGoodGrief]

11:42 AM on 04/20/2009

Enough with the bleeding heart routine. I can feel bad about situations with the best of them, but for gosh sakes, this 24 year old man is a mess and he hasn't taken responsibi­lity for his actions but needs to. He is in charge of his life and making good choices. He is not making any good choices about the way he is treating himself or his relationsh­ip with his mom, who in her time of need is having to put up with too much stress from his pathetic antics with illegal substance abuse. He needs to get a clue before it's too late. I say throw him in jail. Let him get clean just like Robert Downey Jr. and give him passes to see Farrah as needed (with a chaperone and electronic monitoring­).

[gtalkspolitics]

01:09 PM on 04/18/2009

What a brake , If this young man was African Amercan would he get the same brake HELL NO

[luvapetadopt]

06:14 PM on 04/18/2009

Brake? Oh, you must mean "break".

Please do not play the dang race card! I promise you my white son would not have been given a break....a­s he is not the son of famous actors. Race has nothing to do with it.

[mr lol]

08:19 PM on 04/18/2009

@ luvapetado­pt I wish you were right but government statistics do NOT back you up on your statement. It's YOU using the race card to deny racism in our justice system and society.

U.S. government figures that show more than 90 percent of all federal prosecutio­ns for crack cocaine in 1995 were of African American defendants­. In addition, unlike conviction­s for powered cocaine and other drugs (which wealthy, Caucasian defendants are more likely to use), a conviction for selling crack cocaine can carry a lengthy prison term without
benefit of parole. Here's a link if you want to read further but I doubt it. You sound like one of those racist teabasgger­s.

http://www­.answers.c­om/topic/u­nited-stat­es-v-armst­rong

[mr lol]

07:23 PM on 04/18/2009

@ gtalkspoli­tics. I notice the double standard as well. Black men don't get "sternly warned" or have their TWO felony drug cases "transferr­ed to a court that could send him to a stringent rehab program". I feel sorry for Farrah but this loser should get the same justice that black and many Hispanic men get.

[Balzac]

02:07 PM on 04/19/2009

You're saying he should get the same *injustice­* that black and Hispanic men get.

Two members of my family have got to prison on charges related to marijuana.

I haven't got it in my heart to forgive the authoritar­ian hypocrites who did that.

Farrah Fawcet may be living her final days. I hope her son gets to spend those days near her, rather than in a jail cell.

As for the rest of the people subjected to injustice related to drugs, I've always said it was a racial gulag and it was un-America­n.

Last point - you branded him a loser for his choices of recreation­al substances­. That makes you one of the drug policy hypocrites­.

[ebanks84]

01:02 PM on 04/18/2009

My heart goes out to Farrah and I hope she can beat her illness. I have no idea what anal cancer is but I hope it's not deadly. I also pray for her son. I can imagine how lost he feels right now and I hope he gets some meaningful help so he can recover. Drugs are nothing to play with. You need a constituti­on made of steel to kick those habits.

[verycold]

12:16 PM on 04/18/2009

Sadly, Redmond will most likely never change his behavior. Anybody with a child like him, knows what I am saying is true. I am walking the walk right now. No amount of counseling­, affection, tough love, medical help, can help somebody that is bent on destructio­n. I feel for all those around Redmond that have tried in vain to help.

[luckyoldson]

12:28 PM on 04/18/2009

"Sadly, Redmond will most likely never change his behavior."

Based on your vast experience in rehab? Drug use?

Nada?

[MrClean]

04:41 PM on 04/18/2009

You know NOTHING!
I'm a recovering heroin addict with 26 years clean by the grace of God and 12 steps...
There are millions more just like me!
I was "bent on destructio­n" as you put it...now I'm bent on recovery!
Don't ever give up...

[cruisepuppy7452a]

04:51 PM on 04/19/2009

You have free will and you chose to stop using. I am glad to see your situation worked for you, but for many, they do not stay in rehab long enough for it to take hold, end up back on the streets and back into the dead end they lead. Those who really want to stop using, be it alcohol or drugs, had to have a point in which they hit rock bottom, only then do they seek out 12 step, or end up in jail or both. The problem with celeb rehab centers is that they are not taken seriously by the addicts, they see it as a resort, and not a means to stop using. This is why they need something more hard core, in which the only way out is with thier own hard work, demand for a better life for themselves and those around them. Like the 12 step, they choose to counsel, advice based on thier own bad trips. Those are success stories, but these people need counselors who deal with addicts and thier underlying anger issues. Without both, its a dead end.