Despite Downey's lawyer, John Stewart Holden, assembling the same team of lawyers that successfully defended O.J. Simpson during his criminal trial for murder, Downey was sentenced to a three-year prison term at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran, California.
Meskipun pengacara Downey, John Stewart Holden, perakitan untuk pertahanan kliennya 1999 tim yang sama pengacara yang berhasil mempertahankan OJ Simpson selama persidangan pidana pembunuhan, Downey dijatuhi hukuman penjara tiga tahun di California Fasilitas Perawatan Penyalahgunaan Zat dan State Prison di Corcoran, California (alias "Corcoran II").