MINNEAPOLIS – A Minnesota man was supposed to admit to concealing a stolen pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz.” However, the hearing was postponed indefinitely on Wednesday because the man is currently hospitalized, as communicated by his lawyer.
At the request of Jerry Hal Saliterman’s attorney, U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz agreed to delay the proceedings. The 77-year-old resident of Crystal, Minnesota, had intended to change his plea to guilty during the upcoming hearing, which was originally set for the following Friday.
John Brink, the defense attorney, stated that Saliterman was admitted to the hospital on Jan. 3 due to mobility issues and a severe infection known as sepsis. Brink informed the court that Saliterman is still receiving medical care and no timeline has been provided yet for his discharge. The prosecution did not raise any objections to the postponement.
Saliterman attended his arraignment Monday via video from what looked like a hospital room. He was in a wheelchair and on supplemental oxygen last March at his first court appearance. He was charged then with theft of a major artwork and witness tampering for his role in the ruby slippers case.
The slippers were stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in her hometown of Grand Rapids. Their whereabouts remained a mystery for nearly 13 years until the FBI recovered them in 2018. They fetched a record for movie memorabilia of $32.5 million last month, according to Heritage Auctions.
The man who stole them, Terry Jon Martin, now 77, of Grand Rapids, pleaded guilty in 2023. He was sentenced last January to time served because of his poor health.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
