Britney Spears [ tickets ], who was expected to remain hospitalized in UCLA Medical Center's psychiatric ward until at least next week, was released yesterday (2/6).

The latest twist in the seemingly endless saga of the troubled pop princess has the hospital releasing Spears yesterday morning, just a few days after the doctors treating her had decided to keep her at the facility for at least two weeks. Her release reportedly occurred despite objections by her treating psychiatrist and parents.

Britney reportedly was able to avoid the media when she left the hospital, but then spent the day trying to escape the paparazzi while being chauffeured around Los Angeles in a black Mercedez-Benz driven by an unidentified man. One of her stops included the Beverly Hills Hotel, where a detail of police officers reportedly were sent to quell the commotion caused by the swarm of paparazzi that hound Spears at every turn.

Following Spears' release from the hospital, her parents, Jamie and Lynne Spears, released to the Associated Press a joint statement in which they said: "We are deeply concerned about our daughter's safety and vulnerability and we believe her life is presently at risk. We ask only that the court's orders be enforced so that a tragedy may be averted."

On Monday (2/4), Jamie Spears was named Britney's conservator, which gives him legal authority to make decisions about her health and welfare, as well as decisions about the handling of her estate. The conservatorship was granted after the court determined Britney could no longer care for herself.

Since leaving the hospital, Spears reportedly met with one of her former attorneys, Adam Streisand, whom it is believed she planned to hire in order to fight her way out of the conservatorship. Streisand's publicist subsequently released the following statement to gossip website PerezHilton.com, which for months has been documenting Spears' every move:

"At the request of Britney Spears [ tickets ], Adam Streisand, a Partner at Loeb & Loeb LLP, met with her yesterday to discuss her legal rights in connection with the conservatorship over her person and estate. Following that meeting, Mr. Streisand learned that the court had issued orders that prevent Ms. Spears from retaining counsel of her own choosing, and on that basis, Mr. Streisand has decided he will not represent her at this time."

Spears was admitted to the hospital last Thursday (1/31) after police and paramedics acting under the advice of her psychiatrist physically removed her from her home, placed her in an ambulance and transported her to UCLA medical center via a motorcade that comprised more than a dozen motorcycle officers, two cruisers and two police helicopters flying overhead.

As reported yesterday, Lynne Spears subsequently filed for, and obtained, a restraining order against Britney's manager, Osama "Sam" Lutfi, whom Lynne Spears claimed in court documents had taken control of Britney's life by drugging her, intimidating her, cutting the phone lines to her house, and disabling her cars and cell phone.