One person holds the key to locked file cabinet where Ryder’s personal information was
Confidential documents detailing actress Winona Ryder’s grand theft case and sensitive personal information is missing from the Santa Monica Courthouse.
A 28-page document called a “pre-conviction report” was reported by a courthouse employee on Thursday as stolen from a locked file cabinet in the probation department in Santa Monica.
Santa Monica Police Department Lt. Frank Fabrega confirmed that police responded to a call from the courthouse at 4:13 p.m. regarding a theft of a document. While the incident is currently classified as a burglary, Fabrega said it could be reclassified as a theft.
Los Angeles Superior Court Probation Department spokesman Ken Kondo said the case is under investigation and describes the document as missing.
The file, which has been sealed by Beverly Hills Superior Court Judge Elden Fox along with other court documents, details facts about Ryder’s grand theft, vandalism and burglary charges. It provides information about Ryder’s family relationships, financial status, prior arrests, medical history and probation recommendations, among other things.
“We are conducting our own investigation to find the cause and review our procedures. We are concerned that a high profile case was tampered with.” — — KEN KONDO Superior court probation dept. spokesman
Ryder, 31, was convicted by a Beverly Hills jury on Wednesday of grand theft and vandalism for stealing more than $5,000 worth of merchandise from Saks Fifth Avenue last year. The jury found Ryder not guilty of burglary.
“When the verdict came down, that’s when they noticed that part of the file was missing,” Kondo said, adding the file has been in the Santa Monica Courthouse since the beginning of the year when Ryder was first charged. The superior court system and Ryder’s attorney, Mark Geragos, have back-up copies of the file, Kondo said.
Because the case is high profile with international and national media taking a strong interest in it, Judge Fox sealed the documents.
“These documents are still sealed and that is per the order of the judge in Beverly Hills,” Kondo said. “Sentencing is Dec. 7 and after that, it becomes public after 90 days. But the document is not public record and has been ordered sealed.”
Information about celebrities is worth a lot of money to those who can get access to it. Tabloid publications and other media have been known to pay thousands of dollars for confidential court documents regarding celebrities.
If information in the file was published, the entity or organization responsible could be held in contempt of court. Penalties could be severe, including jail time and fines, according to sources.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 9, 2002. Read the original PDF.