From the Village Voice’s Richard Goldstein comes this excellent write up of the railroading currently being inflicted on one of my personal heroes: Paul Reubens, aka Pee Wee Herman. This pisses me off bigtime.

Deputy D.A. Ann Rundle has filed the prosecution’s brief in advance of Friday’s sentencing of Winona Ryder. Rundle calls for community service, a $26,000 fine, and drug counseling, which, except for that intervening trial and conviction part, is pretty much what I was predicting back in the day. The most interesting part of the brief is where Rundle details all the drugs Winona had on her at the time of the arrest. I don’t think there can be any real question but that the girl, for all her clothes sense, has a serious substance-abuse problem.

Not content with frightening children with his face, Michael Jackson has apparently taken to dangling toddlers from fourth-floor balconies. Update: More details, for those so inclined. Later: Jackson, under heavy criticism, calls dangling the infant from the balcony a horrible mistake.

The gloves (well, glove, and surgical mask, too) are off, apparently, as the world media goes nuts over Michael Jackson’s face. As in this story from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, titled But can Michael Jackson recall the details of his nose? I realize I did the very same thing here on lies.com the instant I saw that first day’s photo, but I thought real-life news outlets would have a touch more decorum. Silly me. Update: Here’s another story, from Reuters, with expert analysis from a panel of plastic surgeons. Eesh.

Appearing in a packed courtroom to testify about his failure to perform a 1999 concert, Michael Jackson must have elicited audible gasps from the gallery when he removed a surgical mask to reveal the latest incarnation of his face. And no, I will not be devoting a wiki page to subsequent appearances.

Winona’s in dark maroon today, with some odd-looking shoes; see photos on the wiki’s WinonaRyderOnTrial page. We’ve also got a verdict, reportedly, to be announced by late morning. Update: Guilty on the grand theft and vandalism charges; not guilty on burglary. Sentencing set for December 6.

We’re back to the dark jacket look (or perhaps it’s a dark dress that just looks like a jacket) at the Winona Ryder trial. See the wiki’s WinonaRyderOnTrial page for the latest images and commentary. Today is jury-deliberation day, with the possibility of a verdict before the day is over. My prediction: a guilty verdict, followed by a sentence involving probation, fine, and counseling, but no jail time. But I think an actual stay behind bars is still a possibility, if the judge decides to try to set the little lady straight and scare her away from future acts of self-destruction. Update: No verdict today (Tuesday); jury to return tomorrow for more deliberations.

Winona returns to an outfit reminiscent of the white-dress stunner of October 16. Photos and commentary in the wiki’s WinonaRyderOnTrial page. Update: The defense rests, with no calling of Winona to testify on her own behalf. The prosecution has given its closing statement; the defense’s closing statement is expected later today. Later: Some interesting bits about the closing statements are in this Associated Press article. Judge’s instructions and jury deliberation tomorrow.

Just when you thought it was safe, with the trial on hold for the weekend, here comes even more Winona coverage. Specifically, check out this nice article from the New York Times: For the Ryder Trial, a Hollywood Script. It gives a good summary of where things stand currently, along with some speculation about why someone like Winona would have shoplifted.

Today’s look from Winona (see the bottom of the wiki’s WinonaRyderOnTrial page) is nearly indistinguishable from yesterday’s, at least based on the two photos that have come out so far. It’s a different dark coat over the top, and looks like a dark sweater, rather than a dark jacket, in the middle layer, but the shirt could be the same one as yesterday’s, and the purse is the same, too. Haven’t seen the pants yet. I wonder if this reflects a growing recognition on Winona’s part of the seriousness of what she’s involved in here. When defending yourself against charges that you’re clothes-crazy enough to go shoplifting stuff you could easily have just purchased, maybe the wearing of wackily different outfits each day of the trial hurts more than helps.

Today’s outfit: Jeans, a long black coat, a dark jacket underneath, a white blouse, and a tourquoise pendant. Photos (and later, once I get a chance, commentary) available in the wiki’s WinonaRyderOnTrial page.

Today’s outfit is a fairly intense black dress with jaunty pastel accents. My first reaction was “femme fatale,” but Madison (who, like Lucy, has actually been paying attention to clothes significantly longer than the last few days during which I’ve been paying attention to them) responded, “Actually, I think that’s the ‘I’m a harmless little girl in a sailor dress’ look.” The shoes don’t exactly say either “little girl” or “sailor” to me, but I think I see her point. Anyway, in the interest of keeping the Winona entries under some semblance of control, I’m going to try to confine my further raving to the wiki’s WinonaRyderOnTrial page.

Things took a turn for the worse in the second full day of the Winona Ryder trial, as the actress arrived in a really yucky-looking green thing (dress? coat? hard to tell, or care, honestly). Photo coverage is pretty sparse so far (for which I guess we should actually be grateful), though it does look like she’s sporting yet another jarringly mismatched purse, if the strap and possibly-associated white and brown fringed thing visible in this photo mean what I think they do. Excuse me; I think I’m going to have to go lie down. Update: Speculation runs wild on the question of whether the first image above shows a worn collar edge (the hint of white along the right collar). And now, a newly released photo seems to show the same thing on the left collar. Lies.com fashion correspondent Lucy, in looking at the second photo, says, “I’m more inclined to think it’s some decorative edging that’s reflecting the flash, instead of a worn edge.” I really hope she’s right. If not, I have serious doubts about whether Winona’s legal team will be able to recover. Later: We’ve got good news and bad news, people. The good news is that I was wrong about that white and brown fringed thing under Attorney Mark Geragos’ arm; whatever it was, it wasn’t Winona’s purse. The bad news is that the purse she actually brought today is even worse than I imagined. Is there still time for a plea bargain? Still later: She looks better after the lunch break, with her coat unbuttoned to reveal a dark blouse underneath. And is that even the same purse? Last update, I promise: In my shock at today’s outfit, I totally forgot to mention that it’s Winona’s birthday today. Happy 31st from lies.com! And in terms of the actual trial, about all that happened today, apparently, was that the Saks security supervisor narrated a video showing her walking around the store picking out clothes.

Day III of the Winona Ryder trial opened with a bang, as the defendant arrived in a dramatic black dress (I think; these through-the-glass shots they’re limiting the paparazzi to leave something to be desired). The see-through factor was unfortunate; she may have received inadequate legal advice on the effect of high-powered flash photography in combination with a white bra. She’s still got a big, ugly purse, but it’s a different big ugly purse, thankfully. The headband was a nice touch, I think. No word yet on the less-important details, like opening statements. Update: Opening statements are done; the prosecution makes it out as theft, plain and simple. The defense paints a more interesting picture, in which security guards overstep the bounds of their authority because they were (naturally) gaga at being in Winona’s celebrity presence. Later: In late testimony Monday, Saks security manager Kenneth Evans said Winona claimed to have been preparing for a role when she was confronted about her shoplifting. The defense objected, saying the allegation hadn’t surfaced in any previous statements by the prosecution, but they were overruled.

The jury for Winona Ryder’s shoplifting trial was sworn in yesterday. Confirming the adage that you can’t throw a rock in L.A. without hitting a film producer, the Beverly Hills jury will include Peter Guber, former chairman of Sony Entertainment Pictures. The 8-woman, 4-man jury also includes a woman who is a legal secretary with Sony Pictures and a man who works in TV program development. Winona wore a blue full-length jacket, red pumps, and carried the same god-awful purse she had on Day I. I wonder if the purse is meant to work in her favor with the jury: See? Winona always carries a big, ugly handbag. It doesn’t mean she’s planning to shoplift. If that’s the angle the defense is working, I guess I have to accept it, but it will really be a shame if they feel they have to continue it for the entire trial. Accessories matter, dammit.

It’s jury-selection day in the Winona Ryder trial, though I haven’t been able to find out what she’s wearing yet. With the F.B.I. reporting that they believe they have the D.C. sniper in custody, though, hopefully we’ll be able to get more detail soon. (I did come across this story about Christina Aguilera piercing her private parts, at least. Thank God the media are getting back to covering real news.) Update: Looks like a fairly restrained floral-print dress with pink sweater. Later: From Lucy, a better photo. Check out the shoes. But that shoulder bag? I dunno; I realize she needs to appeal to jurors by dressing down a bit, but it seems like a little much to me.

See if you can follow. American real-estate heir and film producer Steve Bing initially made headlines by asserting that Elizabeth Hurley’s baby wasn’t his. (Subsequent DNA tests proved him wrong.) Among the negative publicity he received at the time was a story in the Daily Mirror that gave Bing’s phone number and encouraged readers to call him. Bing sued the tabloid, the tabloid settled, and one of the terms of the settlement was that the paper had to run an apology. Bing’s lawyers wrote the apology, the paper ran it verbatim, and Bing issued a statement saying he was “delighted.” But now he’s changed his mind, and says he may revive the suit. Why? Because he apparently has figured out that the overly effusive way the paper apologized (e.g., under a front-page headline stating, “A humble and sincere apology to Mr. Steve Bing, philanthropist & humanitarian”) was actually intended as sarcasm.

Judge Elden Fox has ordered Winona Ryder to appear in court today, after an unspecified “unusual circumstance” prevented the actress from showing up yesterday, thereby delaying her trial yet again. Among the things we can look forward to today are the official dismissal of the drug-possession charges, and the replacement of the stock photos from her last appearance with a new round of pics. What will she be wearing?? Update: A really stunning ivory dress/jacket combo, with matching handbag, it turns out. Drug charges dropped, trial to start Oct. 24.

from the all-winona,-all-the-time dept.

Winona Ryder got some good news yesterday, when prosecutors in her shoplifting-cum-painkiller-possession trial requested that drug-possession charges be dropped. Seems a witness supplied an affidavit that showed Winona actually had a prescription, or thought it was okay for her to possess the drugs, or something. So, does this mean the prosecutors were basically blowing smoke before? Methinks the whole “railroading” theory gets a boost from this. But I’m fairly biased, since I think she’s cute. Of course, this is nothing like the bias I’d display if they ever tried to charge Janie Porche with something. Sigh. Janie…

from the wrong-again,-dammit dept.

Despite breathless predictions to the contrary from certain tabloids that shall remain nameless, there will be no plea bargain in Winona Ryder’s shoplifting case. The trial is set to commence October 7. Man, what a fall season we’ve got lined up: new albums from Peter Gabriel and U2, the extended-edition FOTR DVD and The Two Towers theatrical release, and the Winona trial.