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Editors Note: After reading court testimony of Saks Fifth Avenue store personnel, it is painfully obvious that they are manipulating the truth about the events that occurred inside of their Beverly Hills store as it pertains to their accusations against Winona Ryder. For this reason, we strongly urge our readers to
SAK'EM PERMANENTLY BOYCOTT Saks Fifth Avenue.

THE PINCHING OF WINONA
or How To Shoplift A Woman's Reputation

by JUDITH HANEY

USNewsLink/June 9, 2002

After reading various and sundry contradictory sworn testimony offered up against Winona Ryder by Saks Fifth Avenue employees in support of their allegations of criminal charges pending against her, I decided to do my own research into the case.

This case stinks to high heaven! Here's why:

a. From the bench, during the proceedings, the trial judge shoplifted Ryder's constitutionally guaranteed right to a presumption of innocence, and, also,

b. the larcenous judge pilfered Ryder's right to equal protection under the law vis a vis her right to due process.

Here's how this gas bag public official, 'dah judge', unlawfully took the personal reputation of Ryder, with the intent to deprive her permanently of it:

THE TRIAL JUDGE

1.  Beverly Hills Superior Court Judge Elden S. Fox made the following statements from the bench during Ryder's pre-arraignment hearing: "There is sufficient cause to believe that Ms. Winona Ryder is guilty and that she be ordered held to answer." Therefore, since the judge has already decided Ryder's guilt BEFORE her trial, let's skip due process and send her straight to jail.

SAKS FIFTH AVENUE EMPLOYEES

2. The LA Times has reported that a Saks employee testified that he recovered four sensor tags--some with material still attached to them--from a coat pocket in the Chanel boutique in the department store. The employee further alleged under oath that two more tags were found in a chair in another changing room Ryder had occupied.

3. The NY Post has reported that the same employee testified that he found four sensor tags in a changing room used by Ryder.

4. Another Saks employee testified that she observed Ryder through dressing room slats where her vision was obstructed by garment bags and other obstacles.

5. The Miami Herald reported on 6/8/2002, "Evans also said six anti-theft sensor tags that had been cut off of merchandise were found concealed in the store the day after Ryder's arrest last December".

6. NEWSWEEK reported in its June 7 web edition that "the district attorney’s office has evidence that purportedly shows Dec. 12 wasn’t Ryder’s first shoplifting incident."

7. At Thursday’s hearing, a Saks employee testified that after being confronted, the actress signed a statement admitting she had stolen 20 items.

Recently I visited a Saks Fifth Avenue store for the purpose of investigating the type of doors they install in their dressing rooms. My findings are as follows:

a. it is "possible" for a Saks security person to see through the slats into the dressing room because the slats are spread farther apart than a typical slatted door installed into a residence. These slatted doors are a security enhancement which are custom made to afford store employees a full view of the activities of customers inside each of the rooms.

While they afford customers the illusion of privacy, in fact, anyone who stands outside of the door has an unobstructed view into the dressing rooms where customers change clothes;

b. it is "possible" for a shopper who is using the Saks dressing rooms to see a Saks security person standing outside of the door. For a security person to be able to observe someone inside of the dressing room they would have to be standing in full view of the customer who was on the other side of the door because that is the only way to see inside;

c. the slatted doors offer no privacy whatsoever;

d. while Winona was inside of the dressing room she would have known that she had no privacy;

e. Saks security personnel stated that as they stood outside of the slatted door they observed Winona 'bent over the merchandise, clipping off the sensor tags with a pair of scissors and simultaneously stated that their vision was blocked by her shopping bags and other things that belonged to her.

f. apparently Saks wants the court to believe that their vision was obstructed while simultaneously being able to see Winona. But, Saks can't have it both ways.

Either they saw her or they didn't. These conflicting statements are essential to Saks case and are easily refuted.

THE BEVERLY HILLS POLICE DEPARTMENT

8. Ryder has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, i.e., her prescription painkillers.

9. When Ryder was arrested the Beverly Hills Police Department told the press that Saks had Ryder's 'crimes' on videotape, however, this has turned out not to be true.

CONCLUSION BASED UPON THE 'EVIDENCE' THUS FAR

In my opinion, a crime has been committed against Winona Ryder by Saks Fifth Avenue and its personnel, to wit, they have stolen her reputation via making inconsistent and unsupported allegations against her.

Further, the negative PR campaign currently being waged against Ryder by the LA DA's office is a travesty of justice.

Regardless of whether Ryder took anything from the store without paying for it or not, there is one thing for certain, she has been repeatedly victimized by the local California court, the trial judge, the Beverly Hills Police Department, and Saks Fifth Avenue, i.e., the same outfit who sold her $3700.00 worth of merchandise at the same exact time that they accused her of grand theft.

What nonsense!

In my opinion, this criminal case is nothing but a hatchet job on Ryder, and for what it's worth, I hope those who have so cruelly victimized her and used the court to do it, are made to answer for it.

And in the meantime, SAK'EM, BOYCOTT SAKS FIFTH AVENUE! And while we're at it, let's BOYCOTT LOS ANGELES AS WELL!

UPDATE:
10/9/2002: Prosecutors Ask to Drop Winona Ryder Drug Charge
Prosecutors said on Wednesday they have requested the dismissal of a felony drug charge against actress Winona Ryder, who is due to go on trial next week accused of shoplifting.

The Los Angeles District Attorney's office said it was making its request "in the interests of justice" after receiving a sworn statement from a defense witness. The details of the statement, disclosed during the pretrial discovery phase, were not immediately available.

11/6/2002: Winona Ryder Found Guilty of 2 Counts in Shoplifting Case

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND FOR THIEVING, STEALING, SORRY, STINKING, SCUMMY SAKS

Another top Saks executive leaving embattled company  amid criminal investigation

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Wednesday, August 24, 2005  - George Jones has resigned as president and chief executive of Saks Inc.'s department store group, the Birmingham-based chain said Tuesday.

Jones is the fifth high-ranking executive to resign this year from Saks, which has been selling off pieces of its department store group and is the subject of a federal investigation. A week ago, James Scully, the company's top human resources executive, resigned to join J.Crew.

Saks will not replace Jones, said spokeswoman Julia Bentley. Toni Browning, who was chief executive of Proffitt's and McRae's, will relocate to Birmingham to oversee the 41-store Parisian chain. Another 10 staffers in various areas, including merchandising and marketing, also have moved to Birmingham from Proffitt's Alcoa, Tenn., base, Bentley said.

Selling off units:

Earlier this year Saks began selling off pieces of its department store group so it can concentrate on its luxury chain, Saks Fifth Avenue. In April, Charlotte-based Belk purchased most of the Proffitt's and McRae's stores for $622 million. The company plans to sell all of its remaining department stores except for the Parisian chain.

Saks is also trying to sell its Club Libby Lu specialty-store chain, one of several concepts Jones touted as a way to differentiate Saks' department stores from their competitors. Jones also was instrumental in the company's failed partnership with FAO Inc., the bankrupt parent company of toy retailer FAO Schwarz.

Saks agreed in 2003 to sell the retailer's toys in most of its department stores and invested $5 million in the company, acquiring a 12 percent stake and a seat on FAO's board. Later that year FAO filed for bankruptcy protection less than eight months after emerging from another bankruptcy, and Saks gave up its seat on the board.

"It is the appropriate time for George Jones to explore his options outside the company with the recent sale of Proffitt's/McRae's and with the strategic alternative process underway for the northern department stores," Bentley said.

"He (Jones) is in the process of exploring several opportunities. We are very appreciative of George's leadership over the last four years and wish him much success in the future," she said.

Jones, 54, will leave the company Sept. 30, Bentley said. He was unavailable for comment.

Sluggish share prices:

Jones joined Saks in 2001 after serving as president of Warner Bros.' studio stores for seven years. Prior to that, Jones served as CEO of the Roses Stores chain and held a variety of management positions with Target stores, as well as the Diamonds and Dillards department store chains.

Saks has struggled with a sagging stock price the past few years despite registering nearly $7 billion a year in sales.

Saks said this month it is postponing its second-quarter earnings release until after Sept. 1 as it prepares to restate up to six years of earnings amid a federal accounting probe for improperly collecting $20 million in vendor payments.

The company is expected to file its delayed fiscal 2004 annual report and first-quarter report with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Sept. 1.

SAKS FIFTH AVENUE:
A lousy company with lousy business practices!

Saks fires executives after completing markdown probe