Scandal Rewind: Paris Hilton's Trip To Jail Put Mom Kathy Under The Microscope 19 Years Ago

Welcome to Scandal Rewind, a column where the Nicki Swift staff looks back at a celebrity scandal from years past.

Paris Hilton was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence in September 2006. Although the Hilton Hotel heiress initially got a Hollywood-style slap on the wrist (three years of probation), a judge forced her to spend 45 days in jail after she failed to uphold the court's terms. The legal misstep reignited a wave of media scrutiny for Paris, who had already been embroiled in various controversies. But her mother, future "RHOBH" star Kathy Hilton, also found herself in the crosshairs. Mostly by her own doing. 

Unsurprisingly, Kathy was deeply affected by the seriousness of Paris' situation. But her reactions, at times, highlighted how rich and out of touch she was. For starters, there was the meltdown she had upon learning of Paris' impending jail time. "I can't believe this, I can't believe this," she said inside a courtroom in May 2007, according to People. She also reportedly confronted the prosecutors who had brought the charges against her daughter. "You're pathetic," she said, adding, "Can I have your autograph?" The judge wasn't safe either when she quipped, "[He] made up his mind before he even came in today. If it were anyone else, this would've never had happened." She continued, "And after all the money we spent!"

Although most parents would stick beside their children even in the wake of legal trouble, Kathy's response seemed to direct the blame away from her daughter and onto other parties. But this was only the beginning of Kathy's side-eye-worthy behavior.

In August 2007, two months after Paris Hilton was released from jail, Kathy Hilton opened up about the media's obsession and the impact of the public capitalizing on the scandal. "There were six helicopters and a pink Hummer advertising bail bonds," she shared with People. "We could not get rid of it." She continued, "It was actually very clever marketing. But we could barely see. They were shining all these lights." Unfortunately, Kathy seemed to have forgotten the role she played in fueling the chaos by lashing out in the press at the time.

Following Paris' sentencing, Kathy held nothing back when addressing the frenzy outside of the courtroom. "This is pathetic and disgusting, a waste of taxpayer money with all this nonsense," she said in May 2007 (via The Orange County Register). "This is a joke." Kathy was just as outspoken one month later, when Paris, who was briefly released from jail to serve out her sentence on house arrest, was ordered to return to custody. When speaking with CBS News, Kathy revealed that Paris was racked with nerves. "She just wants to just do her time and get on."

Despite the turmoil, however, Kathy and Paris left the life-altering situation with a renewed sense of purpose. In fact, Paris reportedly told her mother that she'd never drink and drive again. To Kathy, that made the situation "worth it." If only the story had ended there ...

Unfortunately for Paris Hilton, 2007 didn't mark the end of her legal troubles. She was twice arrested for suspicion of drug possession in 2010. The first arrest occurred in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, when local officials thought she had marijuana. However, that charge never stuck and was dismissed. In August, she was arrested again for suspected cocaine possession while in Las Vegas, and that charge stuck. However, she managed to escape another jail sentence, as she was slapped with a year of probation.

Perhaps Paris' legal luck is the reason that her mother, Kathy Hilton, was much calmer this time. At least comparably. Still, the reality star certainly had her say when the Las Vegas Deputy District Attorney was also arrested after getting caught with cocaine one year after Paris' arrest. "I think there's a lot of irony here," Kathy shared with Radar in March 2011. "All citizens expect those in his position to enforce the law and to set examples, but like Paris, he'll have his day in court. I'm not interested in passing judgment or criticizing other people," Kathy continued, adding, "Our family has had our share of that."

The understatement of the century!