Actor Barred From Leaving Jail to Work

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will no longer allow actor Robert Downey Jr. out of jail to work on movie projects, Sheriff Sherman Block said Wednesday.

Over the past few weeks, Downey--who is serving time on drug charges--has been allowed to leave jail twice. On Feb. 13, the judge in his case ordered sheriff’s deputies to take Downey to a studio for “recording” work. A similar order came Feb. 17 asking that Downey be taken to Paramount Studios.

“As to the two court orders that were issued to take Downey to the studios for filming, any further such orders we will oppose,” Block said. “We will go into court and fight it. It’s too disruptive and not the way to operate a jail for the convenience of any inmate, no matter who that might be.”

Downey has been in custody since Dec. 13, when he was sentenced to 180 days for using drugs and alcohol. An investigation is now underway to determine whether Downey had drug paraphernalia in the Twin Towers correctional facility.

He was being held in a segregated area there when the items were found, but it was in a common area--making it difficult to tell who left them there, sheriff’s officials said. Since then he has been moved to Men’s Central Jail.