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Jerry Hal Saliterman, 76, has been charged with theft and witness tampering in connection with the 2005 theft of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz” from the Judy Garland Museum in Minnesota. The slippers were recovered by the FBI in 2018. The man who originally stole the slippers pleaded guilty in October and was sentenced in January due to his poor health condition.
Second Man Charged in 2005 Theft of Judy Garland’s Ruby Slippers from “The Wizard of Oz”
A 76-year-old man, Jerry Hal Saliterman, has been indicted in connection with the theft of Judy Garland’s iconic ruby slippers from the 1939 movie ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ The charge, made public Sunday, marks a new development in this high-profile case of Hollywood memorabilia theft.
Saliterman, from Crystal, Minnesota, stands accused of theft of a major artwork and witness tampering. He made his first appearance in U.S. District Court in St. Paul on Friday but did not enter a plea.
The ruby slippers, adorned with sequins and glass beads, were stolen nearly 20 years ago from the Judy Garland Museum in Garland’s hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The FBI recovered the slippers in 2018, ending a long-standing mystery.
The court documents indicate Saliterman was aware the slippers were stolen artifacts and that he threatened to release an incriminating tape of a woman if she revealed information about them. Saliterman’s attorney, John Brink, maintains his client’s innocence.
The actual thief of the slippers, Terry Jon Martin, pleaded guilty in October, admitting to the theft in an attempt to pull off “one last score.” Despite believing the shoes to be adorned with real rubies, Martin was informed the jewels were not real. The slippers were then discarded by Martin.
According to court documents, Martin was unaware of the cultural significance of the ruby slippers and had never seen ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ The connection between Saliterman and Martin is not yet disclosed.
In ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ Dorothy, played by Garland, wore several pairs of ruby slippers, but only four authentic pairs remain. The whereabouts of the stolen pair were unknown until an FBI sting operation in Minneapolis in 2018. The estimated market value of the slippers is around $3.5 million.
A Hollywood memorabilia collector, Michael Shaw, had loaned the stolen pair to the museum. The slippers have since been returned to Shaw and are currently with an auction house. The other pairs are held by the Smithsonian Museum of American History, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and a private collector.
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