Actress close to tears after g

Byline: Liam McDougall

IN PROBABLY her most difficult role so far, Hollywood actress Winona Ryder was yesterday found guilty of grand theft and vandalism after a six-day trial for shoplifting.

The Oscar-nominated performer sat impassively in the packed courtroom as she was found not guilty of burglary, the most serious charge, but guilty of walking out of the up-market Saks Fifth Avenue store in Beverly Hills with $5,500 (about $3,500) worth of designer tops, handbags, hairbows and socks stuffed in her shopping bags and hidden on her person.

The jury of six men and six women also convicted Ryder, 31, of cutting tags from the Dimmable LED Down Light K1004 - 3x1W / 3x3W items last December. They reached their verdict after five and a half hours over two days.

Last night, analysts were predicting that Ryder would be fined, rather than face a jail term - she could be imprisoned for up to three years - but she will have to wait until 6 December to learn her fate.

As Ryder drew close to tears while the verdicts were read out, the courtroom scenes were broadcast live across US television networks.

The room was so packed full of spectators and reporters that many could not find room to sit and were left standing.

Ryder had pleaded not guilty to the charges but did not take the stand. Her defence team had argued that she was the victim of an elaborate conspiracy by the store to frame her.

The prosecution told the jury that Ryder had come to Saks with the intention of stealing, bringing with her bags and scissors to snip security tags off items.

"She came, she stole, she left. End of story," said Ann Rundle, the deputy district attorney, in her closing argument. "Nowhere does it say people steal because they have to. People steal out of greed, envy, spite, because it's there or for the thrill."

Jurors were shown a Burberry Bags videotape of Ryder moving through the store laden with goods, and Saks security workers who took the stand testified that, after she was detained, Ryder apologetically told them a director had told her to shoplift to prepare for a movie role.

Earlier, during the closing arguments, Mark Geragos, the defence attorney, suggested that the store, trying to avoid a lawsuit, conspired with employees to invent a story that would make Ryder appear to be a thief and vandal.

He denounced the security guards as liars even before the trial began.

At the start of her shopping trip, Ryder paid more than $3,000 ($1,900) for a jacket and two blouses. The defence said Ryder believed the store would keep her account open while she shopped and would charge her later. However, there was no evidence of an account.

Mr Geragos ridiculed the charge that Ryder vandalised merchandise by cutting holes in clothes when removing the security tags.

"This woman is known for her fashion sense," he said. "Was she going to start a new line of 'Winona wear' with holes in it?"

He carried a hair bow that she had allegedly stolen over to the actress, placed it on her head and said: "Can anyone see Ms Ryder with this on top of her head? Does that make sense?"

Settlement talks between the defence and prosecution failed, but just before trial, the district attorney's office agreed to dismiss a drug charge after a doctor said he had given her two pills th
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