Ryder's Prosecutor Ann Rundle on 'GMA'

Nov. 7, 2002 -- Winona Ryder was convicted of shoplifting more than $5,570 of Saks Fifth Avenue merchandise and vandalism — both felonies — but the prosecutor in the case doesn't think the actress should serve jail time.

Although the actual sentence is up to the judge, Deputy District Attorney Ann Rundle told ABCNEWS' Good Morning America the non-violent crimes were Ryder's first brush with the law.

"She has no prior criminal record, and in most instances, given the facts of this case, the person, regardless of their color or status in the community, would be facing a probation sentence with community service and restitution," Rundle said.

"This case was never about how much time she would spend in jail. This was about my office asking her to take responsibility for what she did, and now the jury has found her responsible," she said.

December Arrest

Ryder was convicted Wednesday of shoplifting high-fashion merchandise from the Beverly Hills Saks last December.

"She came, she stole, she left, end of story," Rundle said Monday in her closing argument.

The jury convicted the two-time Academy Award nominee on charges of grand theft and vandalism, but acquitted her of burglary.

The verdict comes after the jury deliberated five hours on Tuesday and resumed deliberations Wednesday morning before reaching a verdict.

Ryder, 31, will be sentenced on Dec. 6. Though the charges can carry a prison term of up to three years, it is unlikely she will be sentenced to jail time.

Rundle plans to ask for probation, community service and restitution for Saks.

Rundle noted that in the introduction to one of Ryder's movies,Girl, Interrupted, there is a voiceover in which the film'smentally disturbed heroine talks about the thrill of walking out ofa store with something unpaid for.

"She may have been stealing just for the sheer thrill of seeingif she could get away with it," said Rundle during the trial.

Rundle told GMA that the actress should seek counseling in order to find out how she ended up in this situation in the first place.

Shopping Scene on Video

During the testimony phase last week, the prosecutor presentedvideotapes of Ryder moving through the store laden with goods. Sakssecurity staff testified that the actress cut sensor tags off items in adressing room and claimed after being caught that a director toldher to shoplift to prepare for a movie role.

Ryder did not take the stand. Defense attorney Mark Geragos suggested that Saks Fifth Avenue, trying to avoid civil liability, conspired with employees to invent a story that would make Ryder appear to be a thief and vandal.

Rundle said Ryder could have easily avoided all the publicity that came with the trial, but the actress decided to take the case to court.

"She wanted a trial and we accommodated her," Rundle said. "My office did not choose to make this a publicity case. Ms. Ryder chose to make this a publicity case when she decided to use this arrest to publicize a movie she had coming out, so she bears the responsibility of the publicity," she said.

Geragos charged that witnesses changed their stories and, in onecase, taped over a security videotape that might have containedimportant evidence.

Born Winona Horowitz, Ryder made her film debut in 1986's Lucas and gained fame for her work in such movies as Beetlejuice, Heathers and Edward Scissorhands. Some of her other films include Reality Bites, Mermaids and The Crucible.

Ryder's Academy Award nominations came for her work in 1993's The Age of Innocence and in the 1994 adaptation of Little Women. She was seen most recently in Mr. Deeds and the box office flop S1m0ne.