A federal judge in St. Paul, Minnesota dismissed charges on Monday against a man from Crystal accused of concealing stolen ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz.” The man, Jerry Hal Saliterman, 77, had been scheduled to plead guilty in January but was hospitalized due to poor health with lung disease and other issues. Federal prosecutor Matthew Greenley informed the court that Saliterman passed away on Sunday, prompting the judge to drop the charges. Defense attorney John Brink confirmed the death but did not provide further details. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Fargo, North Dakota is handling the case but did not immediately respond to requests for more information.
Saliterman, who was in a wheelchair and on oxygen, was charged with theft of a major artwork and witness tampering related to the stolen ruby slippers, which were taken from the Judy Garland Museum in 2005 and recovered by the FBI in 2018. The slippers were sold for a record $32.5 million in December at Heritage Auctions. Terry Jon Martin, another individual involved in the theft, pleaded guilty in 2023 and was sentenced to time served due to health issues.
