Winona wants to auction stolen clothes

reuters ^ | 4/7/03

[knak]

BEVERLY HILLS, California (Reuters) - Actress Winona Ryder wants to hold a charity auction to sell the $5,500 (3,500 pounds) worth of clothes and accessories that she stole from a posh department store but a judge is reluctant to buy into the plan.

Beverly Hills Superior Court Judge Elden Fox on Monday praised the 31-year-old actress for completing the community service part of her three-year-probation ahead of schedule but sparred with her lawyer, Mark Geragos, over whether she could dispose of the merchandise by holding a charity auction.

Ryder, sentenced on December 6, 2002 for shoplifting from Saks Fifth Avenue, had to pay $10,000 in fines and restitution and became owner of the property.

Fox said he was not keen on the idea of a celebrity auction to dispose of the merchandise because as he told Geragos: "Your client should not benefit" from her crime. But he postponed making a final ruling.

Geragos told the judge it was "ironic" that the court would turn down such a money-making opportunity in the face of the county court system's steep budget problems. "It seems awful silly to take thousands of dollars of merchandise and burn it in a bonfire," Geragos said.

Outside of court, he told Reuters that he really did not understand why the judge was against the idea other than it was also being opposed by the district attorney.

Geragos said, "I can probably raise $100,000 on that stuff". He did not identify a charity or give any other details.

PRAISE FOR ACTRESS

Judge Fox praised Ryder, who stood silently beside her lawyer during the half-hour hearing, for completing all 480 hours of community service that he ordered -- an amount that translated into 60 eight-hour days.

She read to children and helped out in the offices of the children's ward of City of Hope, a nationally renowned cancer treatment centre in Duarte, California, northeast of Los Angeles.

"She has done more hours than the court ordered," Geragos said. "She developed a close relationship and really bonded with a couple of kids, one of them undergoing a bone marrow transplant and another with leukaemia," he added outside court.

Ryder has not worked in films since her sentencing and instead has concentrated on completing her community service and going to a court-ordered therapist.

Fox told her: "I want you to continue to do what you have been doing. These are positive reports and I expect to continue to see more of the same."

He also said that he had no objection to Ryder travelling out of the state or even out of the country for any films that would require her to do so.

Geragos said the actress was at first was not free to travel anywhere because she had to fulfil the term of her probation.

A Beverly Hills jury convicted her of felony grand theft and vandalism for taking more than $5,500 worth of merchandise a year earlier from Saks.

Police had found eight prescription drugs in Ryder's possession when she was detained at Saks. Court papers said she had used a half-dozen different names to get the drugs, which included Valium and Diazepam.

[knak]

humor break

I would have thought they would have taken the stolen merchandise away from her.

[PetroniDE]

I would have thought they would have taken the stolen merchandise away from her.

I was thinking the same thing.

[martin_fierro]

Her shyster lawyer Geragos must be on crack. She can't legally auction what isn't hers.

[Fraulein]

she could dispose of the merchandise by holding a charity auction

She would get all her court fees back in the form of a tax write-off.

[martin_fierro]

Any winning bidder for known stolen merchandise could be prosecuted for receiving stolen goods.

[Focault's Pendulum]

Ok...I'm dumbfounded!!!

[rebel85]

Didn't know you got to keep what you steal either. With lawyer/court costs what they are and the cost of the clothes (assume this is restitution), the fines were only $4500 over the amount of the clothes.
amazing, it must be good to be a Hollywood queen

[Cyber Liberty]

It appears the reasoning is that if she pays the fine and does the time, then she's "bought" the clothes. Pretty faulty logic.

I'd have tried to recover the goods, if I were the store.

[kinghorse]

knows no shame.

still if she's confused and hurt and needs a shoulder, I'll be there.

/something about whacko women

[stylin19a]

If this is accurate
Ryder, sentenced on December 6, 2002 for shoplifting from Saks Fifth Avenue, had to pay $10,000 in fines and restitution and became owner of the property.

Then she owns the clothes. What's the judges problem ?

[b4its2late]

She won't have a wardrobe left if she autions off the clothes that she stole.......

[freelight]

"Ryder, sentenced on December 6, 2002 for shoplifting from Saks Fifth Avenue, had to pay $10,000 in fines and restitution and became owner of the property."

Looks like she had to pay for it (the "restitution" part of the 10 grand).

[Focault's Pendulum]

BTW...in response to you're last mail....Boo! Back. Hope you and Slip are doing fine.

[knak]

I don't think the same rules apply to everyone else. I've never heard of anyone getting to keep stolen merchandise, even if they pay restitution.

[lilylangtree]

What's her problem? She doesn't want to face the evidence of her guilt everyday? Or maybe her ill-gotten gains aren't considered today's style, hmn?

[Cyber Liberty]

Yup! Miss Slippy's fine and dandy!

[BSunday]

Boy, their loss prevention department sure is crappy!!

[MaggieMay]

Oh give me a break. Judge Fox praises her for completing her court ordered community service. Another pampered celebrity,I'm suprised they didn't give her a ticker tape parade. And the Clinton's lawyer of choice,Geragos, wants to hole an auction for the filched merchandise. Only in La,La land could this be happening.

[Fraulein]

see post #3

[Fraulein]

Oops! I meant, see post #4.