The theft of Judy Garland’s iconic slippers in The Wizard of Oz was disturbing for the public and legal community. The incident unfolded in 2005 when the famed slippers were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The stolen shoes were considered priceless artifacts, often described as one of the most valuable pieces of Hollywood memorabilia.
For over a decade, the investigation into the theft encountered numerous twists and turns, with occasional false leads and dead ends until the arrest of Terry Jon Martin, who has since confessed to the heist. Recently, the case concluded after being in court since last year, with Martin receiving a relatively lenient sentence for his crimes, adding an unexpected twist to the prolonged legal saga.
Terry Jon Martin is not getting any prison time for the theft of Judy Garland’s ‘Wizard of Oz’ slippers
Terry Jon Martin received a lenient sentence on Monday, January 29, at the U.S. District Court in Duluth, Minnesota. The 76-year-old former mobster won’t serve any prison time but will be on probation for one year. The presiding judge also mandated him to pay approximately $23,000 to the Judy Garland Museum in Minnesota, the location of the August 2005 heist where he stole iconic slippers.
RELATED: Reformed Mobster Who Stole Judy Garland’s ‘Wizard Of Oz Ruby’ Slippers Gives Reason For Theft
The decision for this light sentence was influenced by the fact that Martin, currently in hospice care, is not expected to live beyond six months.
U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz says he would have given a harsher sentence if the case was tried earlier
While giving his verdict, Judge Patrick Schiltz disclosed that had the case been presented to him in 2005, he would have imposed a more severe sentence, a minimum of ten years in prison. He further clarified that this decision to take to the attorneys’ recommendation, considering Terry’s poor health, was not aimed at diminishing the gravity of the crime committed.
“I certainly do not want to minimize the seriousness of Mr. Martin’s crime,” the judge confessed. “Mr. Martin intended to steal and destroy an irreplaceable part of American culture.”