‘Babydol’ Gets 3-Year Prison Term

Jody “Babydol” Gibson, described by the judge as “tragic and pathetic,” was sentenced Monday to three years in prison for operating a high-priced international prostitution ring that catered to celebrities, politicians and wealthy professionals.

Gibson, 42, was immediately returned to Los Angeles County Jail, where she has been held since a Van Nuys Superior Court jury convicted her of three counts of felony pimping April 7.

Dressed in a black skirt and beige-and-black knit sweater, her long blond hair pulled back with a hair clip, the convicted Hollywood madam sat quietly during the two-hour sentencing by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Lloyd M. Nash.

Over the objection of Gibson’s attorney, Gerald V. Scotti, Nash rejected a motion for a new trial and refused to allow Gibson’s release on $100,000 bail pending appeal, holding that she represented a flight risk.

Gibson also faces federal charges of income tax invasion and money laundering, Scotti said.

In the sentencing in Van Nuys, Nash referred to the accused call-girl ring leader and those who worked for her as “tragic and pathetic.”

At a news conference after the hearing, Scotti said Nash’s comments were out of line for a sitting judge.

“I disagree with his characterizations,” Scotti fumed. “Those descriptions were a personal opinion that he should keep to himself if he wears the robes.”

Asked about his client’s state of mind after sentencing, Scotti said she had no “drastic reaction” to the sentence.

Gibson’s fiance, Craig Pike, said he was unhappy that the judge rejected a motion to release Gibson on bail pending appeal.

At the hearing, Deputy Dist. Atty. Richard Walmark said he could have asked for the maximum sentence of eight years and eight months. Instead, Walmark asked for five years and eight months because Gibson’s criminal history contained minor offenses--an attempted theft and a bounced check.

Still, Scotti pressed for a sentence of probation for his client, saying she was involved in a “garden-variety” pimping case.

“There are no victims here,” Scotti argued. “This is not a bad person. She is a person who committed a crime that she has been convicted of. But there is no one who could say, ‘She hurt me’ or ‘My life is worse because of her.’ ”

Scotti said Gibson’s operation was “nowhere near the scope” of one run by convicted madam Heidi Fleiss, saying there was no evidence of violence, drug use or squandered money in his client’s case.

The arguments did not sway the judge. “This is a tragedy,” Nash said. “The women appear to be tragic and pathetic individuals, and Ms. Gibson appears to be tragic and pathetic.”

Gibson ran a sophisticated enterprise, Nash said, and he characterized three former call girls who testified as “victims” of her operation.

During the trial, the three women testified that they worked for Gibson, had sex with the clients she provided and gave her 40% of what they were paid.

So-called trick books introduced into evidence detailed prostitutes’ names, prostitution appointments, money received and clients’ names. Asked about the clients listed in the book, Scotti said that he did not recognize 90% of the names, but that some were prominent in politics and entertainment.

When Gibson was arrested last year, officials said they seized a log book of her clients and a manuscript that detailed her life in the prostitution business.

The book proposal written by Gibson alleges that she had an affair with a Beverly Hills police detective who was investigating her escort business. In the manuscript--a key section which Los Angeles police say they have not seen--Gibson contends the relationship played a crucial role in shielding her from prosecution during earlier investigation, sources told a Times reporter.

Although a Rolodex and log of her alleged 400 customers have been marked as evidence in the case, police said they blacked out the names in court records to protect identities.

The Times has unsuccessfully sought access to exhibits in the case.