Winona Ryder Wins Praise From Judge (Only in LaLa Land Alert!)

AP / Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | December 15, 2003 | LINDA DEUTSCH

[buzzyboop]

AP Special Correspondent

	(enlarge photo) Actress Winona Ryder appears at Beverly Hills Superior Court April 7, 2003 in Beverly Hills, Calif. for a progress report following her conviction for shoplifting from Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. Ryder was commended by a judge Monday, Dec.15, 2003, for abiding by the rules of her probation in a shoplifting case. (AP Photo/Mel Bouzad, Pool)

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Actress Winona Ryder was commended by a judge Monday for abiding by the rules of her probation in a shoplifting case.

Ryder's lawyer, Shepard Kopp, said outside court that the judge plans to review the case later and consider reducing her felony convictions to misdemeanors.

"I want to compliment you on your behavior on probation," Superior Court Judge Elden Fox told the actress, who did not speak during the hearing.

He said her probation report had been very positive. "And there's an indication that things are going well," he said.

Fox ordered Ryder to return to court May 26 for a six-month review and said he would decide then if she needs continued probation supervision.

The 31-year-old actress has also been undergoing therapy and completed 480 hours of community service at the City of Hope Medical Center in Duarte.

Ryder was convicted in a highly publicized trial last year of stealing several thousand dollars worth of merchandise from Saks Fifth Avenue store in Beverly Hills in 2001.

The judge placed her on three years probation a year ago and fined her $2,700. She was also ordered to pay $6,355 in restitution to the store and $1,000 in restitution to the court. She has made those payments.

Ryder, who began her film career as a teenager in 1986, earned Academy Award nominations for her roles in "Little Women" and the "The Age of Innocence."

[buzzyboop]

Win praise for being a good girl? Ok for my four-year-old maybe..

[Paul Atreides]

Wasn't she an actress, once?

[Michael.SF.]

The 31-year-old actress has ... completed 480 hours of community service at the City of Hope Medical Center in Duarte.

For those of you from Rio Linda, that is 60 days of work (assuming 8 hrs/day). She has been working with Blind children and babies striken by aids.

Considering that she has completed such service, which would be heart wrenching work, I would say we could cut her a little slack and give her a break.

[StatesEnemy]

Ehhh, she is kinda cute though... Cut her some slack.

[Britton J Wingfield]

OK, but she still has a few more hours of service to complete back at my place.

[ladyinred]

Nutso judges again! I am going to LA on Wednesday for a few days. I will promise to be a good girl honest!

[TSgt]

She could eat crackers...

[razorback-bert]

Why is she wearing elf ears?

[Dallas59]

She's still a Thief

[Michael.SF.]

she still has a few more hours of service to complete back at my place.

LOL.

Well, if she came dressed and looking like that, it might not require a few hours.

[kcvl]

Some people do volunteer work without being convicted of a felony and FORCED to do it. I will give my praise to them instead of a shoplifting actress.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

A bisexual. A leftie. Goddaughter of Timothy Leary. A bad actress once she became an adult. A person who has no career. A person whom Vincent Gallo said she imbibed tons of drugs on the set (he had tried to hire her after her conviction but doesn't like the drug issue while on a set and finds it unprofessional).

A shoplifter at the finest stores in LA.

[theDentist]

Considering that, unlike most, she stuck to her probation, didn't get herself arrested, accomplished some court-required orders ahead of time, paid her fines and reimbursements, and kept her yap shut, I'd say good for her.