Downey Avoids Bail Violation, Awaits Charges

But with criminal charges looming, just how long he'll be able to keep working is uncertain. And Downey's publicist acknowledged that the 35-year-old actor is still battling his demons.

"He's concentrating on work and himself," publicist Alan Nierob said. "He's a recovering addict. Recovering addicts have relapses. He's working hard at his sobriety as he has for the last 18 months."

Downey is currently free on $15,000 bail following his arrest Saturday on suspicion of possessing cocaine and methamphetamine and being under the influence of a controlled substance. Riverside County Assistant District Attorney Sue Steding says no charges have been filed yet by Palm Springs police, but Downey still is scheduled to appear in court December 27.

There was, however, some good news (relatively speaking) for Downey from the state attorney general's office: It looks like he won't be heading back to prison immediately.

The troubled thespian was freed from state prison in August after his lawyers successfully argued that a judge miscalculated his sentence. Since then, Downey technically had been out on bail while the state attorney general's office appealed the decision.

His arrest while free on bail could have sent him back to prison immediately. But the California Supreme Court recently denied a review of the case, and Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Kahan said they will not pursue it any further. "We're not going to seek revocation of bail," he said.

That's also good news for the folks at Ally McBeal, who welcomed Downey back this week to wrap up work on the final two shows of his 10-episode commitment to the series. "We're happy Robert is back on the set and working," said Fox Entertainment President Gail Berman.

And, although his work has helped jumpstart the legal series, it's still unknown whether Downey will be invited back. "Nobody has closed the door on his prospect of coming back sometime during the course of the season," Fox TV Chairman Sandy Grushow said during a press conference Tuesday.

Berman, however, added that Downey's gig was never permanent in the first place. "We send all our good wishes to him [but] it was a limited arc and we always planned it as a limited arc," she said. "It's unfortunate, but we have a television show to produce."

Nierob said Downey is still slated to shoot America's Sweethearts alongside Julia Roberts starting in January, which would keep him from continuing with Ally McBeal anyway. It's not yet known whether his legal troubles will keep him from shooting the film, or whether he'll be able to honor a commitment to appear onstage in Los Angeles as the lead in a Mel Gibson-directed version of Hamlet.

All this, because of a disastrous weekend episode at the $600-a-night Merv Griffin Resort Hotel and Givenchy Spa.

After receiving an anonymous 911 tip Saturday, Downey was picked up at the posh, celeb-friendly resort. Police reportedly found him in his room, alone, with 4.5 grams of methamphetamine and cocaine.

According to a police report obtained by The Desert Sun newspaper, police found a prescription-pill bottle stuffed in a box of Kleenex. Inside was a white powder, which Downey told police was "probably speed" and added, "Don't do this to me. You're going to ruin my life."

Police also reportedly found a Wonder Woman costume in the closet.

Meanwhile, the media feeding frenzy continued Tuesday, as Access Hollywood interviewed a "mystery woman" who claimed to have been with Downey at the hotel on Thanksgiving.

"He was really down most of the time," said the woman, who identified herself as Laura Burnett of Palm Springs. "He was a little upset [about] the holidays and not being with his family.

"He did a lot of role playing for us from Chaplin...a few of his movies," she added. "He was actually kind of fun to be around."

Downey admitted to police that a woman had been in the room, and police were still attempting to interview her and track down the identity of the anonymous 911 caller. Burnett said she believed the 911 caller "was just somebody who knew [Downey] was there and wanted to make a big ordeal about it."

Downey's troubles trace back to 1996, after a traffic stop turned up cocaine, heroin and a loaded pistol in his car. A month later, he was found passed out in a child's bed at his neighbor's house. And three days later, he was busted for leaving a recovery center.

The actor and onetime Oscar nominee was sentenced to three years' probation in 1996, and later spent time in Los Angeles County jail for violating the probation. He was sentenced to a stint in Corcoran State Prison last year after he slipped up again.