Judge: Comic Poundstone making progress
From Matt Carey
CNN
SANTA MONICA, California (CNN) -- A progress report hearing for Paula Poundstone ended on a high note Friday for the 43-year-old stand-up comedienne, who is on probation for felony child endangerment.
Describing her progress as honorable and saying she has completed everything the court has asked, Superior Court Judge Bernard J. Kamins indicated that Poundstone "is on the verge of earning the right to have some restrictions lifted."
Kamins said that at a hearing scheduled for November 1, he may consider lifting his order that she be monitored during visits with her children. He said he also may consider recommending that a juvenile court return her children to her custody.
Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Poundstone said, "My kids belong back at home so I can start to make things up to them. That's all I care about now."
Poundstone was sentenced to 180 days in alcohol rehabilitation last October, as well as five years probation, after pleading no contest to felony child endangerment and a misdemeanor count of inflicting injury on a child. Under the plea agreement, lewd conduct charges against her were dropped.
Poundstone's three adopted children were placed in protective custody at the time of her arrest and two foster children were permanently removed from her home.
Prosecutors have never revealed the precise details surrounding the original lewd conduct charges, but they have said the child endangerment resulted from Poundstone driving her children while intoxicated.
Poundstone has acknowledged the drunken driving incident, but she has said the lewd conduct allegations were never true.
