Minnesota man accused of stealing 'Wizard of Oz' ruby slippers pleads not guilty
Dorothys ruby slippers from "The Wizard of Oz" in the Stories of Cinema Exhibit of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California, U.S., on Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021. The new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures officially opens its door
(FOX 9) - The man accused of stealing a pair of iconic ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in Wizard of Oz pleaded not guilty in court on Wednesday.
Terry Martin was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 16 with one count of theft of a major artwork. He entered a not guilty plea in federal court on May 31.
The slippers were taken from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids in August 2005 when someone climbed through a window and broke the display case. The shoes were insured for $1 million.
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The FBI recovered the slippers in Minneapolis in July 2018 after a man approached the company insuring the shoes saying he has information that could help get them back. The FBI set up a sting and recovered the shoes.
Four pairs of ruby slippers worn by Garland in the movie are known to exist. The shoes are made from about a dozen different materials, including wood pulp, silk thread, gelatin, plastic and glass. Most of the ruby color comes from sequins, but the bows of the shoes contain red glass beads.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.