A Slapper Goes to the Slammer: Zsa Zsa Begins 3-Day Jail Term

Zsa Zsa Gabor went to jail in a rented cell Friday to serve 72 hours for slapping a Beverly Hills motorcycle policeman.

The Hungarian-born actress, wearing white slacks and a sweat shirt, arrived at the El Segundo city jail at 1 p.m. Friday to start a sentence imposed by Beverly Hills Municipal Judge Charles Rubin last October. She will be freed at 1 p.m. Monday.

Gabor’s lawyer, Harrison Bull, made arrangements for his client to serve her time under an El Segundo program that charges $85 a day for a cell and food for prisoners who qualify for a weekend jail program, after a background check.

“We found no reason to deny her,” said El Segundo police records supervisor Fern Ruiz.

Bull escorted the 72-year-old actress as she surrendered. It was supposed to be confidential, he said, but when they arrived at the police station they were met by photographers, reporters and television crews. Bull estimated the media crowd at 30 to 40 people.

“I guess with Zsa Zsa it’s impossible to keep anything secret,” he said.

He said that Gabor talked to reporters for three or four minutes before going inside to be fingerprinted, photographed and instructed on jail rules.

“I looked around for a jail and thought El Segundo’s would be appropriate,” Bull said. “It costs about . . . the same rate as the Hilton nowadays.”

Ruiz said Gabor volunteered to work and will sort business licenses while in jail.

The actress also said she has decided to drop her planned appeal of Rubin’s sentence because she wants to “get this situation behind her” and “go on with her life,” Bull said.

“In her heart she knows she is innocent,” he said.

Gabor was convicted last September of slapping Beverly Hills Police Officer Paul Kramer, driving without a license and possessing an open container of alcohol--a flask of Jack Daniel’s--in her $215,000 Rolls-Royce.

She was acquitted of disobeying Kramer when she drove away from a traffic stop on June 14. Jurors reckoned that miscommunication may have been the problem.

In sentencing Gabor, the judge ordered her to serve three days in jail, pay fines and costs totaling $12,937, perform 120 hours of community service and undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

Rubin expressed outrage over Gabor’s behavior during her three-week trial, accusing the former Miss Hungary of “milking” the criminal justice system for publicity. Gabor clashed with Rubin, calling him “that nasty judge” when he disallowed some of her community service time and ordered her to complete 60 more hours.