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Thursday, February 07, 2008

Britney released from the UCLA psych ward


After the original ruling of a 14-day hold on Britney Spears, she is now a free woman left to roam the streets again. Here is all the latest:

The Los Angeles Times reports that Spears left without fanfare Wednesday, with the help of a private security detail. Spears was spotted later in the afternoon, leaving her Summit Circle home in Studio City.

Spears was taken by ambulance to the hospital on Jan. 31 and was initially held under a 72-hour psychiatric hold. Under the treatment of her psychiatrist, Dr. Deborah Nadel, Spears's stay was extended to a 14-day hold on Sunday.

Only Dr. Nadel would've had the authority to deem the singer well enough to be released, legal experts say.

It's unclear whether the singer will continue with outpatient treatment.

Spears's dad Jamie was granted temporary control over his daughter's affairs on Friday (though it did not include control of her psychiatric treatment). His conservatorship was extended this week to Feb. 14 – following a battle in court over who's best suited to look after the troubled pop star. More court documents were released Tuesday, revealing Jamie Spears's conversations with Britney in the hospital.

The release of the 26-year-old singer also comes after Spears's mother, Lynne Spears, successfully obtained a restraining order against her daughter's self-described friend and manager Sam Lutfi.

The order forbids Lutfi from getting within 250 yards of Britney, her homes, her family's homes and the hospital where she's staying.

In her court documents, Lynne Spears, describing the chaotic scene at her daughter's house when she arrived Jan. 28 for an intervention, claimed, "Mr. Lutfi has drugged Britney. He has cut Britney's home phone line and removed her cell phone chargers. He claims to control everything."

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