Jubilant Paris Hilton out of jail

Story Highlights

• NEW: Media clogs Hilton family's neighborhood, locals angry
• Paris Hilton released early from jail near Los Angeles
• Hotel heiress served 23 days for violating probation
• Hilton calls jail sentence "the hardest thing I have ever done"

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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Hotel heiress Paris Hilton walked out of a Los Angeles-area jail early Tuesday with a big smile on her face after serving 23 days for violating her probation on a reckless driving conviction.

With paparazzi and reporters swarming behind a police barrier, Hilton waved and beamed but ignored shouted questions as she left the jail about 12:15 a.m. PT.

She walked past sheriff's deputies into a sport utility vehicle where her parents waited. (Watch as Hilton walks free )

The media dogged Hilton as she made her getaway, jockeying for position and snapping photos of the socialite for miles along the Los Angeles freeway system.

When her SUV had to stop at a red light, photographers jumped out of their cars and surrounded it, The Associated Press reported. (Blog: Much ado about nothing)

CNN affiliate KTLA-TV in Los Angeles reported that Hilton went to her grandparents' home in the Benedict Canyon area of Beverly Hills.

Her arrival there initially provoked amusement among residents out for early morning walks, according to the Associated Press.

"What I think is funny is every single news person here apologized to me," said 50-year-old retired attorney Martha Karsh, out for a stroll with her college-age daughter, Katie, told the AP.

"It's not real news. What's the story here?" asked Karsh, adding that she wasn't aware that any Hiltons lived in the neighborhood until TV satellite trucks and other news vehicles crammed the street.

Later in the day, the AP added, neighbors were less blase as traffic built up amid the frenzy of media personnel and equipment. The news service noted that one motorist made an obscene gesture to reporters while driving by.

Hilton, 26, was sentenced to 45 days for the 2006 probation violation but served about half the term, gaining credit for good behavior. (Gallery: Stars who have done time)

"She has fulfilled her debt to society and it's now concluded," said sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore.

Hilton is scheduled to give her first post-jail television interview Wednesday on CNN's "Larry King Live" show after ABC and NBC dropped rival offers last week.

The imprisonment -- and temporary release -- of Hilton ignited a global media storm and raised questions about celebrity justice.

Her jail time was sparked by her arrest in September on a drunken-driving charge. (People.com: Full Hilton coverage)

She admitted alcohol-related reckless driving in January and was sentenced to three years' probation but was caught driving the following month on a suspended license. Superior Court Judge Michael Sauer ruled in May this violated her probation.

He rejected Hilton's defense that her publicist had misinformed her about the status of her license.

Hilton surrendered to authorities on June 3 to begin her sentence and spent all 23 days -- bar one -- at Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, California. (Watch what might be next for Hilton )

'Hardest thing I've ever done'

Three days after Hilton began her jail stay, she was released by the Los Angeles County sheriff to home detention with electronic monitoring because of an unspecified medical condition.

She was at home a little more than a day before the judge ordered her back to jail to complete her sentence. Hilton was led out of the courtroom weeping.

"This is by far the hardest thing I have ever done," she said in a statement. "I have had a lot of time to reflect and have already learned a bitter but important lesson from this experience."

Hilton's probation will end in March 2009, as long as she keeps her driver's license current and doesn't break the law, according to the AP.

The city attorney's office has said she can cut 12 months off that time if she does community service, which could include a public-service announcement, the AP reported.

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