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Michael Douglas Emmy speech turns to son's drug-sentence plight

Michael Douglas: 'If you happen to have a slip, they punish you. In my son's case, he has spent almost two years in solitary confinement.'

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Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Michael Douglas accepts the award for for outstanding lead actor in a miniseries or movie for his role in 'Behind The Candelabra' at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre on Sept. 22, in Los Angeles.
  • By Associated Press

There was a lot to ponder in Michael Douglas's acceptance speech.

Douglas, winner of the trophy for best actor in a miniseries or movie for playing Liberace in HBO's "Behind the Candelabra," closed his speech with a reference to his 34-year-old son, Cameron, who is serving a lengthy prison term for various drug crimes. Douglas said he hoped "they allow me to see him soon."

Backstage, the actor said it will be another year before he can visit him.

"I'm questioning the system," he said. "At first I was certainly disappointed with my son, but I've reached a point now where I'm disappointed with the system."

Cameron Douglas was convicted in 2010 of selling methamphetamine. A judge nearly doubled his sentence after he was found guilty of repeatedly breaking prison rules by arranging to get drugs. He is scheduled for release in 2018.

"If you happen to have a slip, they punish you," the elder Douglas said. "In my son's case, he has spent almost two years in solitary confinement."

Douglas said he's optimistic Attorney General Eric Holder might change laws involving non-violent drug offenders.

From the stage, Douglas also thanked his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones.

That was an attention-getter following the announcement last month that the couple was taking "some time apart to evaluate and work on their marriage."

Zeta-Jones did not accompany her husband to the Emmys. She was in China this weekend.

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