Michelle Rodriguez Publishes Letter to Judge Mitchell

Just one week after the Michelle Rodriguez petition was first reported here on Associated Content on October 22, the actress is publishing a copy of her own letter to Judge Mitchell. Is this an attempt at damage control or a calculated move to ride the current wave of media coverage?

Rodriguez allowed her Webmaster Liegh Lewallen to post an edited version of her Plea for Leniency on both the Official Michelle Rodriguez MySpace page and the Official Michelle Rodriguez Website.

In her letter, Rodriguez ties her inappropriate behavior to her early success:

"When I moved here to Hollywood California four years ago with prosperity in my pocket, I briefly lost that sense of awe and appreciation for everyday life...excess became, what seemed at the time, my only remedy. . ."

Her admission seems to mirror the troubles of stars like Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears, who find success too young and too quickly, only to fall into the infamous club scene.

Rodriguez also admits that her career went into a two year decline as her peers deemed her 'too irresponsible to work with.' It was during this period that she lost her home, her cars, and depleted her bank account.

In her letter, Rodriguez assures the judge that the actions leading to her most recent sentencing are not the result of being an "ill willed, ignorant, or a sneaky human in any way," though she does admit to having issues with punctuality and keeping accurate time records.

The letter is intended to illustrate an arch of personal development as well as remorse for her actions. Rodriguez writes "I am incredibly grateful that no one was harmed but me," indicating an awareness of how self-destructive her behavior was.

Rodriguez claims she has now gained a "good moral grounding" and is willing to take responsibility for her actions. Although the published portion of the letter makes no reference to the amount of time she should serve, she does address her career.

"At this point I can only plea at the mercy of this court and the people, that the repercussions of my past actions do not affect the work, livelihood, and sustenance I provide for myself and my family dependent."

It seems that Judge Mitchell has already granted her leniency in this regard. Rodriguez was allowed to postpone her jail sentence in order to report to the New Zealand set of Avatar. However, she will need to report to jail no later than December 24th.

Rodriguez seems to say all the right words in her letter to Judge Mitchell, and Cameron's willingness to cast her alongside film great Sigourney Weaver, does lend credibility to her claim that her peers have begun to take notice of her self improvement. But the toughest sell might still be the audience. Will they buy into the new and improved Rodriguez or will they view her letter to the Judge with the same skeptical eye that mocked a Bible clad Paris?

Sources:

Lewallen, Leigh. Home Page. Michelle Rodriguez Official Site.
Lewallen, Leigh. The News.Official Michelle Rodriguez Myspace.