Any PR is good PR say Tatum’s publishers

Tatum O'Neal's publishers are clearly not acquainted with the concept of 'duty of care'. As reported in The First Post yesterday, the Oscar-winning actress was arrested on Sunday evening after being caught buying crack cocaine on the streets of New York. But instead of rushing to the police station, or getting her into rehab, HarperCollins rushed out a press release, presumably to drum up some interest in O'Neal's 2004 memoir, A Paper Life.

It read: "BREAKING NEWS: The New York Daily News reported yesterday that the actress Tatum O'Neal was arrested for possession of crack cocaine (she was released today after being charged with a misdemeanour to seek treatment). The actress, who cautioned former child star Britney Spears to get help with her substance abuse in an interview eight months ago, admits in her memoir that drink and drugs were in her DNA."

Not content with this, HarperCollins decided to freshen up O'Neal's biographical details. "... this talented, spirited young woman has endured and triumphed over everything from childhood neglect and spousal abuse and heroin addiction, only to suffer a recent heartbreaking relapse from hard-won sobriety..."

What makes this all the more surprising is that O'Neal, the daughter of Ryan O'Neal and former wife of tennis ace John McEnroe, has insisted she is innocent. When she was approached by officers who had witnessed the alleged drugs transaction, she reportedly told them: "Do you know who I am?" before claiming to be researching a movie role.

The actress, 44, is said to have told police: "I've been clean for a long time. Can you let me go?" But this was undermined ever so slightly when the arresting officers allegedly found she was carrying a crack pipe and two bags of cocaine.