A man from Minnesota was supposed to admit to hiding a stolen pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz” at a hearing. However, the hearing was delayed indefinitely on Wednesday because the man is currently in the hospital, according to his attorney.
Jerry Hal Saliterman, aged 77, from Crystal, had planned to change his plea to guilty during a hearing set for the following Friday, as per U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz’s courtroom schedule.
The defense attorney, John Brink, explained that Saliterman was admitted to the hospital on January 3 due to issues with walking and sepsis, a severe infection. Brink stated that Saliterman was still receiving medical care on Wednesday and there was uncertainty about when he would be discharged. The prosecutors 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 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
