Wynona Ryder in court 10/28/2002 (1 Viewer)

[Edwin-S]

Again, in a case like this, only hard time will 'make an example'.
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Oh well,they still get another shot at it. They still have Robert Blake to work on.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Okay okay, let's not get all riled up over this.

 

[Ron-P]

Quote:

My thoughts exactly
Peace Out~

 

[Brian Perry]

MSNBC searched and found out that the other 5,000 shoplifters (a couple of which stole MORE valuable merchandise) were all offered misdemeanor plea bargains. Every single one.

For a fair comparison, you'd have to take only those shoplifters who stole a similar amount. I'm guessing there aren't too many who were caught at Saks Fifith Avenue, so the 5,000 other cases get whittled down to a couple dozen. Then you'd have to see how cooperative those people were. For most, they didn't have an image to protect, so they probably were more than happy to cooperate. It's possible that Ryder caused the police enough grief (drugs found on her, threats of countersuits, etc.) that they didn't give her a courtesy plea bargain.

I'm not dismissing the fame factor, just proposing that her case may have been different than all the nickel and dime cases.

And I suppose her wealth--not her fame, per se--could have worked against her. A rich person who shoplifts may not get as much sympathy as a poor person stealing food or clothing for his family (not that either one is justified).

 

[Calvin_Su]

ummm, PICS???

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

Ok, she got unfairly beat up on.

First, as per California trial procedure, her lawyer listed some stuff that she'd done in the past as 'mitigative;' good things to show she's not a slime bucket. One was that she posted 1 MILL-YON (pinkie) dollars to find an adbducted little girl. The prosecutor then accused her of 'dragging out the body of a dead little girl' for her own gain; Winona was out of her chair at that, and did you see the bailiff move to stand behind her?

The thing is, Winona's a good friend of the dead girl's father now, and had he not been late, he'd have been in court for that line as well.

Second, she was sent for drug councilling, even though there were NO drug charges, or even allegations, brought up at the trial.

Third, 480 hours of CS?

Fourth, the lawyer tried and tried and tried to plea with the DA, and the DA turned him flat down. Anybody else, this would never have seen trial.

Fifth, as the lawyer pointed out, the Samantha Runnion muder case, recently, the defendant waived the preliminary hearing, and the DA agreed. Prelims ALWAYS get waived. Winona tried to waive hers, and the DA said 'no,' flat out.

This was a giant dog and pony show.

Winona's lawyer was on Larry King last night, and had some great insights.

 

[Patrick_S]

Well at least I can now sleep safe at night knowing the streets are safer.

 

[Mark Hayenga]

Saks long-high prices are dropping now also, what with the decreased risk of shoplifting...

 

[MikeAlletto]

drugs found on her

Everything I've read has said that they were all prescription drugs, but I guess its now illegal to carry your prescriptions around with you just in case you get arrested.