Jury Finds Winona Ryder Guilty of Clothing Theft

Actress Winona Ryder has been found guilty of stealing clothing worth £3,900 at a Beverly Hills court.

The well-known actress, who has been nominated for an Oscar twice, is not likely to be sent to jail and is expected to receive probation or community service when she faces sentencing next month.

Ryder remained emotionless as she sipped from a water bottle after the court clerk announced the verdict.

She was acquitted of a burglary charge, as the jury gave her the benefit of the doubt due to lack of evidence.

However, she was found guilty of two charges of grand theft and vandalism.

The jury deliberated for five and a half hours before reaching their decisions.

Ryder, known for her roles in films like “Girl, Interrupted,” “Beetlejuice,” “Little Women,” “The Age of Innocence,” and “Mr.

Deeds,” was arrested at the Beverly Hills branch of Saks Fifth Avenue on December 12th of last year.

Security staff stopped her and accused her of stealing $5,560 worth of merchandise from the store.

The prosecution argued that Ryder was seen picking up 20 items as she moved through the store but only paid for four of them.

Store detectives claimed they witnessed her removing security tags from items while in a changing room.

They accused her of bringing scissors to the store in order to cut off the tags.

According to Saks security manager Ken Evans, when caught, Ryder said she was rehearsing for a film.

“She said, ‘I'm sorry for what I did,'” Mr. Evans testified.

“‘My director directed me to shoplift for a role which I was preparing'.”

She also told another security officer that she believed she had left her credit card with an assistant earlier in the day and instructed them to leave the purchase open.

During the trial, Ryder, who turned 31, did not testify.

However, her attorney, Mark Geragos, stated that she wanted to take the stand.

Geragos claimed that the security staff had targeted Ryder because she was a celebrity and tailored their evidence to ensure a conviction.

He called one witness, Michael Shoar, a former Saks employee, who alleged that Mr. Evans had expressed a desire to see the “rich Beverly Hills bitch” punished.

Ryder's parents, Mike and Cindy Horowitz, who reside in northern California, were present in court throughout the trial.

Fans showed their support by wearing “Free Winona” T-shirts, a shirt Ryder herself wore for a magazine interview earlier in the summer.

The trial was marked by frequent clashes between Geragos and Judge Elden Fox.

Geragos accused the Saks security team of lying for their “15 minutes of fame” and argued that Ryder always intended to pay for the clothes.

Prosecutor Ann Rundle told the jury that Ryder may have shoplifted for the thrill of it and that claiming she was preparing for a role was not a valid defense.

She referenced Ryder's character in “Girl, Interrupted,” who enjoyed shoplifting for excitement.

Rundle remarked that the defense's version of events could only exist in Hollywood.

Following the case, Rundle announced that she would not be seeking a prison sentence but rather probation or community service.

She described Ryder, with whom she had spoken in court, as “a very nice individual.”

Rundle explained that the prosecution sought to hold Ryder accountable for her behavior, not out of vindictiveness, expressing sympathy for the Saks security team who had endured scrutiny from private detectives hired by the defense to discredit them.