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By Linda Deutsch, Associated Press, 11/9/2002 16:06
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) Newly released court transcripts in the shoplifting trial of Winona Ryder revealed the actress was suspected of stealing from two other high-end department stores before her arrest at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills.
Ryder was never charged in the alleged incidents at Barneys in New York and Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills, according to the documents released Friday.
The Oscar-nominated actress was convicted Wednesday of felony grand theft and vandalism for shoplifting more than $5,500 worth of merchandise from Saks last December. The ''Little Women'' and ''Girl, Interrupted'' star was found innocent of a third charge of burglary. Her sentencing has been scheduled for Dec. 6.
The transcripts detail prosecution efforts during an Oct. 24 closed hearing to introduce evidence of Ryder's alleged ''prior bad acts'' into her shoplifting trial.
In the transcripts, Deputy District Attorney Ann Rundle argued jurors should hear about the three incidents before judging Ryder's behavior at the Beverly Hills Saks Fifth Avenue.
''We have videotapes of two prior instances wherein she is seen doing the identical conduct that they will see on the video in our case ... selecting items, concealing those items underneath heavy garment bags or underneath her own clothing, in and out of dressing rooms and ultimately walking out of the store without paying for the item,'' Rundle said.
Rundle told the judge that in one case, Ryder ''was seen by security selecting a hat, wandering around the store with a hat and then walking out the door with the hat on her head without paying for it, which is an almost identical act to what she is being charged with in this case.''
The instances occurred at Barneys on May 14, 2000, and Oct. 10, 2001, and Nov. 29, 2001, at the Neiman Marcus store in Beverly Hills, Rundle said. How those stores handled the incidents, including whether guards confronted Ryder or only observed and videotaped her, was not stated in the transcripts.
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) Newly released court transcripts in the shoplifting trial of Winona Ryder revealed the actress was suspected of stealing from two other high-end department stores before her arrest at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills.
Ryder was never charged in the alleged incidents at Barneys in New York and Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills, according to the documents released Friday.
The Oscar-nominated actress was convicted Wednesday of felony grand theft and vandalism for shoplifting more than $5,500 worth of merchandise from Saks last December. The ''Little Women'' and ''Girl, Interrupted'' star was found innocent of a third charge of burglary. Her sentencing has been scheduled for Dec. 6.
The transcripts detail prosecution efforts during an Oct. 24 closed hearing to introduce evidence of Ryder's alleged ''prior bad acts'' into her shoplifting trial.
In the transcripts, Deputy District Attorney Ann Rundle argued jurors should hear about the three incidents before judging Ryder's behavior at the Beverly Hills Saks Fifth Avenue.
''We have videotapes of two prior instances wherein she is seen doing the identical conduct that they will see on the video in our case ... selecting items, concealing those items underneath heavy garment bags or underneath her own clothing, in and out of dressing rooms and ultimately walking out of the store without paying for the item,'' Rundle said.
Rundle told the judge that in one case, Ryder ''was seen by security selecting a hat, wandering around the store with a hat and then walking out the door with the hat on her head without paying for it, which is an almost identical act to what she is being charged with in this case.''
The instances occurred at Barneys on May 14, 2000, and Oct. 10, 2001, and Nov. 29, 2001, at the Neiman Marcus store in Beverly Hills, Rundle said. How those stores handled the incidents, including whether guards confronted Ryder or only observed and videotaped her, was not stated in the transcripts.
