Courtney Love ordered to 28-day drug treatment

Friday, August 19th 2005, 2:05 pm

By: News On 6

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Courtney Love tearfully admitted using drugs in violation of her probation terms Friday. The rocker-actress was ordered into a 28-day drug treatment program by a judge who said he had wanted to put her in jail.

``I think that you need to hit rock bottom before you make a decision about what you're going to do in the future,'' Superior Court Judge Rand Rubin told the sobbing Love.

She was in court for allegedly being under the influence of a controlled substance, which wasn't identified.

Love's voice cracked as she said, ``Yes, your honor,'' when asked by Rubin if she understood she was admitting to three probation violations. She is on probation in three separate cases.

The 41-year-old Love was told to enter a drug treatment facility by the end of the day. Her attorney, Howard Weitzman, wouldn't disclose the name of the facility or whether it was a lock-down program.

The judge ordered her back to court Sept. 16 for sentencing on the probation violations.

``There will be sentencing and some further consequences at that time,'' Rubin said. ``I think you either need a long-term drug program or a long term in County Jail.''

Outside court, Weitzman said Love had had a relapse but will ``deal with it.''

``She's serious. She's sincere. And she's pretty tenacious about getting her life in order.'' Weitzman said. The lawyer explained Love had violated terms of probation in one case but that ``if you violate in one you violate in all.''

Love, the former lead singer for the band Hole and the widow of Kurt Cobain, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor assault charge on Feb. 10. She was already on probation in two unrelated drug cases.

Earlier this month, the judge issued a bench warrant for Love's arrest, but he agreed to hold it pending Friday's hearing.

At a red carpet event this month, Love said: ``I'm clean and sober for over a year and no one seems to care! They're like, 'Oh, her dramatic weight gain.' So, stop making fun of me!''

In July, a judge praised the singer for making progress in a court-ordered drug treatment program. The treatment is tied to a misdemeanor count of being under the influence of a controlled substance in 2003 when police alleged she tried to break into a former boyfriend's home.