Nicole Richie: "Paris Was Treated Unfairly"  5/31/07

The Simple Life star Nicole Richie has spoken out to defend her jail-bound pal Paris Hilton, insisting the hotel heiress' impending prison sentence was "really unfair".

Hilton has to report to Los Angeles' Century Regional Detention Center by 5 June (07) to start serving her sentence for violating her probation following her 2006 drink-driving arrest.

But Richie believes her Simple Life co-star was "exploited" and is now fearing for her own fate - she is due to answer her own charges of driving under the influence (DUI) later this year (07).

She says, "Of course (Paris) is scared. (Paris was treated) really unfair.

"I don't know if she necessarily could have done anything to stop that. I think sometimes people just get exploited and I hope that doesn't happen to me I don't think there's anything I can do to stop that."

Richie's charges stem from a December (06) incident when she was arrested and booked for DUI in Los Angeles.