Indio Downey pleaded guilty to drug charges on Friday in Los Angeles,
but the 21-year-old had a very strong support during what was no doubt a
difficult morning. Robert Downey Jr. — who has been sober for over 10
years after a long, public battle with substance abuse — sat behind his
son in the courtroom.
Following his guilty plea to felony cocaine possession stemming from his June arrest,
Indio was sentenced to 90 days in a drug-treatment program, 70 of which
he has already completed. After noting the rehab facility sent the
court a positive progress report, the judge stated that if Indio stays
clean and sober for 18 months and finishes his program, his conviction
will be dismissed.
"Now, you're in a little unique
situation. I think that you're going to be able to beat this and you'll
be successful, I certainly hope, because I know in life people always
look up to superheroes. You've heard of that before?" Judge Keith
Schwartz asked Indio. "Well, I think you might have contact or insight
as to one superhero that's Iron Man. So I think if you have contact with
that person that can give you insight and wisdom to help you make sure
you do this well. OK?"
“I appreciate this opportunity and I intend to make the most of it,” Indio Downey told the judge.
Although the elder Downey did
not speak in court, according to witnesses, he listened intently "and
nodded his head when Schwartz urged the actor’s son to be careful about
choosing friends."
The 49-year-old Iron Man star opened up about Indio in the October issue of Vanity Fair, whom he had with ex-wife Deborah Falconer.
"He's his mother's son and my
son, and he's come up the chasm much quicker than we did," Downey Jr.
shared. "But that's typical in the Information Age; things get
accelerated. Pick a dysfunction, and it's a family problem."
RDJ also reflected on his own addiction issues, which landed him in prison.
"Job one is get out of that
cave," he declared. "A lot of people do get out but don't change. So the
thing is to get out and recognize the significance of that aggressive
denial of your fate, come through the crucible forged into a stronger
metal. Or whatever. But I don't even know if that was my experience.
It's funny: Five years ago, I would've made it sound like I'm conscious
of my own participation in seizing the similarities. But so many things
have become less certain. I swear to God. I am not my story."
Downey Jr. has been supportive of Indio since his arrest.
"Unfortunately there's a genetic
component to addiction and Indio has likely inherited it," the actor
said in a statement at the time. "Also, there is a lot of family support
and understanding, and we're all determined to rally behind him and
help him become the man he's capable of being. We're grateful to the
Sheriff's department for their intervention, and believe Indio can be
another recovery success story instead of a cautionary tale."
Sounds like he is certainly on that path.
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