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American Morning

How Will Ryder be Welcomed Back in Hollywood Fold?

Aired November 07, 2002 - 09:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The prosecutor said she will not seek jailtime, but how will the actress be welcomed back into the Hollywood fold? "Extra" correspondent Michael Bryant covered the trial. He joins us now from Los Angeles.
Welcome back, Michael.

MICHAEL BRYANT, "EXTRA" CORRESPONDENT: Thank you. Good morning.

ZAHN: Let's talk a little bit about what Winona might face on sentencing day. We spoke with the L.A. deputy district attorney earlier this morning, and she said it was never their intention to go for jailtime, so what do you think Winona Ryder ends up with a month from now?

BRYANT: I think she did a great job, by the way, Ann Rundle. She really did a good job, and I think they're going to get something in the three to five year probation range, and the community service, maybe 300 hours, 400 hours. Sounds like a lot, but under the circumstances, it ain't bad. And maybe some -- I hope the Judge Elden Fox (ph) will send her either to counseling, or at least an evaluation. Because I think everybody realizes this is a problem that goes beyond just a simple theft.

ZAHN: It was interesting that Miss Rundle said, when I asked her earlier this morning, whether Winona Ryder showed any remorse as the verdict came down or at any point in this process, and she said, no.

BRYANT: No, you're right. And here's what, in talking about her future, I think this is going to be critical. If her people, and I do mean he people, her attorney, Mark Geragos, spoke immediately with her publicist right after the verdict was tossed out, and they were huddling as if to come up with what the next step is. If they spin this as Poor Winona, she's got a problem, let's get her some help. This is a town and country that embraces problems like this, ala Robert Downey Jr. But if they go with denial, denial, denial, I think that could work against her. I don't think people will believe that. So I think it's going to very interesting to see how the P.R. folks work with Winona on this follow-up.

ZAHN: You know, it's interesting, because NBC News did a study of L.A. County records, and they found that of some 5,000 people prosecuted for shoplifting, in the last two years, no one had been facing charges like that. In fact, in two cases, where the alleged amount stolen far exceeded Winona Ryder's, those defendants pleaded out with misdemeanors. Is it true that she was never offered a deal to avoid trial? BRYANT: Yes, from what I understand. You've talked to the D.A.'s office there. The deal never included anything less than at least a felony. And she, through her attorney, was unwilling to accept a felony. A misdemeanor would have been doable. Interesting in California, there's case law that allows you to plead to a felony, do the probation, then reduced to a misdemeanor. I think most people confused out here in the legal community that was not the arrangement, because you get rid of the felony, but the D.A.'s happy on the front end because they get the felony on paper.

ZAHN: How's this affecting her career? We've seen her face on the front pages of all the dailies here, at least the tabloids in New York City, and we understand that even a role was offered to her while this trial was going on.

BRYANT: Yes, I think it's probably not going to be a big problem, again, unless she spins it in the denial mode. Get her some help, therapy, counseling, whatever it takes.

But I'll tell you, one bizarre thing that happened just before the verdicts were read, this was, I thought, surreal, she was shaking hands with and talking to and effectively thanking the members of the court, the bailiff, the clerk. I almost expected a director to yell, OK, cut wrap, let's clean this thing up, like it's done as a movie project. In my experience with defendants or watching proceedings in court as a reporter, I've never seen a defendant act that way as a verdict is about to be read. It was so surreal.

ZAHN: So, Michael, are you suggesting that she's rehearsing for a new role?

BRYANT: No. What I'm suggesting, is her life up to this point has been so surreal. She was in a commune situation up in the Bay Area as she was growing up. At 17, she comes to L.A. to be in the movies. That's normal, right? So she's never had a normal life. And I think this trial was almost for her just another role.

ZAHN: And a final thought on how the defense did in this trial?

BRYANT: I think he did...

ZAHN: Not feeling too good about the verdict.

BRYANT: I think it was a valiant attempt. As an attorney, we say cases are dogs. I don't know that this was a dog, but I don't think the fleas were far behind. He did a good job with what he had to work with.

ZAHN: It's been a pleasure having you tracking Winona for us over the last several weeks. Thank you very much for your time.

BRYANT: You bet.

ZAHN: Michael Bryant, joining us from Hollywood on a very early morning, indeed. Thanks again.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired November 7, 2002 - 09:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The prosecutor said she will not seek jailtime, but how will the actress be welcomed back into the Hollywood fold? "Extra" correspondent Michael Bryant covered the trial. He joins us now from Los Angeles.
Welcome back, Michael.

MICHAEL BRYANT, "EXTRA" CORRESPONDENT: Thank you. Good morning.

ZAHN: Let's talk a little bit about what Winona might face on sentencing day. We spoke with the L.A. deputy district attorney earlier this morning, and she said it was never their intention to go for jailtime, so what do you think Winona Ryder ends up with a month from now?

BRYANT: I think she did a great job, by the way, Ann Rundle. She really did a good job, and I think they're going to get something in the three to five year probation range, and the community service, maybe 300 hours, 400 hours. Sounds like a lot, but under the circumstances, it ain't bad. And maybe some -- I hope the Judge Elden Fox (ph) will send her either to counseling, or at least an evaluation. Because I think everybody realizes this is a problem that goes beyond just a simple theft.

ZAHN: It was interesting that Miss Rundle said, when I asked her earlier this morning, whether Winona Ryder showed any remorse as the verdict came down or at any point in this process, and she said, no.

BRYANT: No, you're right. And here's what, in talking about her future, I think this is going to be critical. If her people, and I do mean he people, her attorney, Mark Geragos, spoke immediately with her publicist right after the verdict was tossed out, and they were huddling as if to come up with what the next step is. If they spin this as Poor Winona, she's got a problem, let's get her some help. This is a town and country that embraces problems like this, ala Robert Downey Jr. But if they go with denial, denial, denial, I think that could work against her. I don't think people will believe that. So I think it's going to very interesting to see how the P.R. folks work with Winona on this follow-up.

ZAHN: You know, it's interesting, because NBC News did a study of L.A. County records, and they found that of some 5,000 people prosecuted for shoplifting, in the last two years, no one had been facing charges like that. In fact, in two cases, where the alleged amount stolen far exceeded Winona Ryder's, those defendants pleaded out with misdemeanors. Is it true that she was never offered a deal to avoid trial? BRYANT: Yes, from what I understand. You've talked to the D.A.'s office there. The deal never included anything less than at least a felony. And she, through her attorney, was unwilling to accept a felony. A misdemeanor would have been doable. Interesting in California, there's case law that allows you to plead to a felony, do the probation, then reduced to a misdemeanor. I think most people confused out here in the legal community that was not the arrangement, because you get rid of the felony, but the D.A.'s happy on the front end because they get the felony on paper.

ZAHN: How's this affecting her career? We've seen her face on the front pages of all the dailies here, at least the tabloids in New York City, and we understand that even a role was offered to her while this trial was going on.

BRYANT: Yes, I think it's probably not going to be a big problem, again, unless she spins it in the denial mode. Get her some help, therapy, counseling, whatever it takes.

But I'll tell you, one bizarre thing that happened just before the verdicts were read, this was, I thought, surreal, she was shaking hands with and talking to and effectively thanking the members of the court, the bailiff, the clerk. I almost expected a director to yell, OK, cut wrap, let's clean this thing up, like it's done as a movie project. In my experience with defendants or watching proceedings in court as a reporter, I've never seen a defendant act that way as a verdict is about to be read. It was so surreal.

ZAHN: So, Michael, are you suggesting that she's rehearsing for a new role?

BRYANT: No. What I'm suggesting, is her life up to this point has been so surreal. She was in a commune situation up in the Bay Area as she was growing up. At 17, she comes to L.A. to be in the movies. That's normal, right? So she's never had a normal life. And I think this trial was almost for her just another role.

ZAHN: And a final thought on how the defense did in this trial?

BRYANT: I think he did...

ZAHN: Not feeling too good about the verdict.

BRYANT: I think it was a valiant attempt. As an attorney, we say cases are dogs. I don't know that this was a dog, but I don't think the fleas were far behind. He did a good job with what he had to work with.

ZAHN: It's been a pleasure having you tracking Winona for us over the last several weeks. Thank you very much for your time.

BRYANT: You bet.

ZAHN: Michael Bryant, joining us from Hollywood on a very early morning, indeed. Thanks again.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com