MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A listening to the place a Minnesota man was anticipated to plead responsible to hiding a stolen pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in “The Wizard of Oz” was postponed indefinitely Wednesday after his lawyer advised the courtroom that the person is hospitalized.
U.S. District Choose Patrick Schiltz granted the continuance on the request of the lawyer for Jerry Hal Saliterman, 77, of Crystal, who was planning to alter his plea to responsible at a listening to that was scheduled for this coming Friday.
Protection lawyer John Brink stated Saliterman was hospitalized Jan. 3 “for inability to walk and sepsis,” an an infection that may be life-threatening. He wrote that Saliterman remained hospitalized Wednesday and that docs have no idea when he can be out there. Federal prosecutors didn’t object.
Saliterman attended his arraignment Monday by way of video from what seemed like a hospital room. He was in a wheelchair and on supplemental oxygen final March at his first courtroom look. He was charged then with theft of a serious art work and witness tampering for his position within the ruby slippers case.
The slippers have been stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in her hometown of Grand Rapids. Their whereabouts remained a thriller for practically 13 years till the FBI recovered them in 2018. They fetched a file for film memorabilia of $32.5 million final month, in line with Heritage Auctions.
The person who stole them, Terry Jon Martin, now 77, of Grand Rapids, pleaded responsible in 2023. He was sentenced final January to time served due to his poor well being.
