Paris Hilton says it's tough, but will do her time

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Celebrity socialite Paris Hilton, who was dragged sobbing back to jail, says being in prison is the hardest thing she has ever done, but she will not appeal her sentence, US media reported Sunday.

"Today, I told my attorneys not to appeal the judge's decision," Hilton said in a statement, reported by the Los Angeles Times.

"Being in jail is by far the hardest thing I have ever done," said the 26-year-old heiress to the Hilton hotel fortune who was sentenced to 45 days in jail in May for violating her probation and driving on an suspended license.

Her early release on Thursday, after just three days in jail, triggered a wave of outrage and an angry judge demanded she be brought back to court on Friday, when he ruled she had to go back to prison.

Images of a disheveled, distraught Hilton, far from the cool, glamorous blonde seen gracing catwalks and red-carpet soirees, were seen around the world as she was handcuffed by police and brought before Judge Michael Sauer.

"During the past several days, I have had a lot of time to think, and I believe that I am learning and growing from this experience," Hilton said in her statement.

Sheriff Lee Baca, had on Thursday released Hilton tagged with an electronic ankle bracelet and ordered her to serve out her sentence under house arrest for unspecified "medical reasons."

Stunned prosecutors filed a petition in protest and on Friday Sauer ordered Hilton back to jail to serve out her sentence, which was expected to run 23 days with time off for good behavior.

Hilton apparently broke down, wailing "Mom, Mom, Mom," as Sauer ordered her back to prison saying "the order is final and forthwith."

On Saturday, Hilton was in a Los Angeles jail hospital room, despondent and medicated with a psychotropic drug, gossip site TMZ.com reported.

Her psychiatrist spent two hours Saturday with the detainee, whom sources said had been crying, had not eaten, and was sullen and withdrawn, TMZ said.

But in her statement, Hilton thanked her fans for their messages of support which she said she had been reading in her cell, and took a swipe at Friday's relentless media coverage of the unfolding drama.

"I would hope going forward that the public and the media will focus on more important things, like the men and women serving our country in
Iraq and other places around the world."