Pubdate: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 Source: New Haven Register (CT) Copyright: 1999, New Haven Register Contact: http://www.ctcentral.com/cgi-bin/w3com/start?ctcentral+FrontPage Forum: http://www.ctcentral.com/ DOWNEY JAILED AFTER ADMITTING DRUG USE MALIBU, Calif. - Actor Robert Downey Jr. was slapped in handcuffs and led off to jail for at least six weeks Tuesday after acknowledging - again - that he is still doing drugs. "I am going to recover, but I'm still finding that difficult," the 34-year-old Downey told Superior Court Judge Lawrence J. Mira. The admission came after a series of arrests, failed rehabilitation efforts and second chances for the Oscar-nominated "Chaplin" star. The judge could have sentenced Downey to prison for three years for violating probation by refusing to take a court-ordered drug test. Instead, the judge ordered him jailed pending an Aug. 5 hearing to decide what will happen to Downey next. He will be housed in the jail's drug rehabilitation unit. The judge also ordered a psychiatric examination. Downey previously acknowledged he has battled drugs for 2 decades. After the 20-minute hearing, Downey, wearing a dark suit and tie, thanked the judge and deputies led him away in handcuffs. "Robert Downey Jr. came to court today with his drug counselor and admitted he has a continuing drug problem. He asked the court for help and guidance," his publicist Alan Nierob said in a statement. Downey's return to jail comes 18 months after Mira scolded him for bingeing on drugs and jailed him for six months. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart