Not All That Interesting Article About Celebrities and Crime

I was reading a TV Guide (yeah, I know, I'm an intellectual sometimes) while working out (yeah, I know, working out) and they had a snippet about this:

<I>Equal Justice for Winona Ryder?
September 3, 2002
If she was a Winona by any other last name, Ryder may have had an easier time. A "CJ" investigation reveals her star status may have resulted in the book being thrown at her over her alleged shoplifting spree at Saks in Beverly Hills. Ryder is facing charges of felony grand theft, burglary, and vandalism. Equal justice for the star of "Girl, Interrupted?"

Our investigation reveals Ryder may have been treated more harshly than any other accused shoplifter. Court records show there were nearly 5,000 grand theft felony cases filed in Los Angeles County last year. And when "CJ" examined the data, we could find no other accused shoplifter facing as many charges as Ryder. So are stars singled out?

Former Los Angeles district attorney Ira Reiner says celebrities are often treated more harshly. He says, "If the case is notorious, if it involves a celebrity and everybody is watching, then every charge that can properly and appropriately be filed will, you can bet, be filed."

Current DA spokesperson Sandi Gibbons says the value of the goods stolen is what justifies the charges. Ryder is accused of stealing nearly $4,800 worth of merchandise. She says, "This case is being handled just like any other case of its type."

But our investigation reveals there were nearly 100 cases of shoplifting last year at pricey Beverly Hills stores like Saks; $6,100 stolen in one case, $5,200 in another, just to name a few. And no one, in any of these cases, had the book thrown at them like Ryder.

And when police arrested Ryder, they never booked her for burglary and vandalism. The DA came up with those charges. Gibbons says, "Police don't file charges, prosecutors file charges."

But if you're a celebrity like Winona Ryder, that can work against you. Reiner says, "It is true that celebrities get special treatment, but it is not the kind of special treatment that they or anybody else would want." </I>

http://celebrityjustice.warnerbros.com/news/02/09/03a.html

I have no idea what Celebrity Justice is. Nor do I have any idea why I started this thread. Sick of Iraq, I guess.

 

CSI...doh!