Judge Says Winona Goes to Trial Oct. 7

By Stephen M. Silverman

Wednesday September 18, 2002 01:00 PM EDT

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After plea-bargain talks collapsed, a judge on Wednesday set an Oct. 7 trial date in the shoplifting case of Winona Ryder, who faces four felony counts related to a December incident at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills.

Reuters reports that negotiations between prosecutors and Ryder's defense team have fallen apart. However, one of the actress's attorneys, Shephard Kopp, told reporters after the brief proceedings: "Winona Ryder is looking forward to the chance to prove herself innocent of all the charges."

The "Girl, Interrupted" star, 30, who remains free on $20,000 bond, was not present in the Beverly Hills courtroom of Superior Court Judge Elden S. Fox Wednesday.

Ryder has pleaded not guilty to charges of grand theft, second-degree burglary and vandalism for allegedly cutting security tags off and stealing nearly $5,000 worth of merchandise. She also was charged with possession of a controlled substance for a prescription painkiller.

During the hearing, according to Reuters, it was disclosed that a plea-bargain offer by prosecutors to settle the case had been withdrawn.

Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, told reporters, "The court also made an offer which was taken off the table."

Both she and Kopp declined to give details of those negotiations or of what led to their collapse.