Keanu, Bono and the Winona Trial

Actress' Filofax takes center stage as prosecution wraps up its case in shoplifting trial

By Joal Ryan Nov 01, 2002 2:55 AMTags

Winona Ryder keeps Keanu Reeves' phone number in her Filofax. Bono's, too.

Such were two of the educational revelations during an otherwise nasty day in the actress' non-uplifting shoplifting trial in Beverly Hills.

Day four of testimony saw Ryder's attorney rip into an ex-Saks Fifth Avenue security guard who testified Wednesday that she spied the two-time Oscar nominee "sucking on her finger" in a department-store dressing room after slicing herself with scissors deployed to snip sensor tags off merchandise.

On Thursday, defense legal eagle Mark Geragos accused the former guard of: (1) making up the story; (2) trying to sell said story (presumably titled "I Watched Winona Ryder through the Slats in the Dressing Room Door"); and (3) jotting down Keanu and Bono's respective digits from Ryder's datebook.

But Colleen Rainey, who left her job with Saks in August, remained firm and denied everything--including Geragos' assertions that she threw something at Ryder and called her "a bitch" after the actress was detained by store security guards at the Beverly Hills Saks last December 12.

Ryder, who marked her 31st birthday in court Tuesday, is accused of trying to walk off with a pair of $80 socks and 20 other designer doodads during an unauthorized $5,500-plus shopping spree. She faces charges of grand theft, burglary and vandalism.

Geragos' cross-examination of Rainey was so withering that Judge Elden S. Fox cautioned the attorney that he was bordering on contempt. While Ryder wasn't vocal like Geragos, she was dismissive in her own way. A Reuters report described the actress, usually stoic during the proceedings, as glaring at Rainey.

Rainey found a friend in prosecutor Ann Rundle who asked a series of questions designed to show the jury that the ex-guard was not the spotlight-hungry Hollywood wannabe that Geragos was trying to make her out to be. Under Rundle's querying, Rainey said she had not talked to tabloid TV shows, nor appeared on Larry King Live (unlike Geragos.)

For the record, Rainey is an MBA student--it's her husband who's the aspiring screenwriter. (And, yes, Geragos made sure jurors were aware of that last factoid.)

When Geragos was done attempting to slice and dice the ex-guard, the prosecution called its final witness to the stand. Police detective Mark Parker became the third witness to testify that Ryder, upon being detained, told authorities she was merely doing her job.

"At one point she was explaining that she was getting in character for a role as a kleptomaniac," Parker testified. "She wanted to see what it was like to shoplift."

According to Rainey's testimony on Wednesday, the upcoming movie was, alternately, Shopgirl, based on the Steve Martin novel, or White Jazz, based on the James Ellroy novel. Both movies are indeed being produced. Neither happens to star Ryder.

With the prosecution resting its case late Thursday, Team Winona will begin presenting its defense Friday afternoon. Per a TV report, Geragos was to decide Thursday night whether to call Ryder to the stand.

In his opening argument and subsequent cross-examinations, Geragos has argued his client was unfairly scrutinized by Saks security because of her star-ness. He also has claimed Ryder has receipts for everything she allegedly lifted.

Ryder, free on $20,000 bail, has pleaded innocent to all charges. If convicted on the three felony counts, she faces up to three years in prison.

Here's a rundown of the items Ryder is accused of stealing from Saks. For your reading ease, we've arranged them from the most expensive overpriced item to the least expensive overpriced item:

Gucci dress (white): $1,595 Marc Jacobs thermal top: $760 Yves Saint Laurent blouse: $750 Natori handbag: $540 Dolce & Gabbana handbag: $525 Eric Javitz hat: $350 Eric Javitz hat: $225 Rhinestone hair band (black): $140 Rhinestone ponytail holder (black): $120 Rhinestone hair clip (black): $110 Rhinestone hair bow (black): $110 Cashmere blend socks (beige): $80 Beaded purse, two (black): $55 each Saks socks, two pair (cream): $38 each Donna Karan socks, one pair (brown): $20 Calvin Klein socks, two pair (gray): $16.50 each Calvin Klein socks, one pair (purple): $16.50