Jury selection begins in Winona Ryder's shoplifting trial

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) _ Dozens of potential jurors were warned against talking or even reading about Winona Ryder's shoplifting case, as the often-delayed trial of the ``Girl, Interrupted''

Friday, October 25th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) _ Dozens of potential jurors were warned against talking or even reading about Winona Ryder's shoplifting case, as the often-delayed trial of the ``Girl, Interrupted'' star got under way.

``Jurors will be prohibited from reading newspaper articles, watching TV shows or listening to radio commentary on the case,'' Superior Court Judge Elden Fox told 33 potential jurors Thursday. As he spoke, Ryder sat solemnly at the counsel table taking notes.

After ordering potential jurors to fill out a two-page questionnaire aimed at finding out just how much they know about the headline-grabbing case, Fox sent them home, saying jury selection would resume Friday afternoon.

He told them the trial would likely last five to seven days, with the presentation of evidence beginning as early as Monday.

The 30-year-old actress was arrested last December at a Saks Fifth Avenue store for allegedly stealing nearly $5,000 worth of designer merchandise, including hats, handbags, tops and hair accessories. She could face up to three years in prison if convicted of three felony counts of grand theft, second-degree burglary and vandalism.

Before jury selection began Thursday afternoon, legal proceedings, including the swearing in of potential jurors, the judge's explanation of what the case was about and more than an hour of arguments on unspecified pretrial motions, were closed for unexplained reasons.

The judge refused to hear arguments from a Los Angeles Times lawyer requesting the proceedings be opened, saying the arguments must be submitted in writing before he would consider them.

It was unclear whether Ryder would testify during the trial. She made fun of the charges on television's ``Saturday Night Live'' and appeared on the cover of June's W magazine in a ``Free Winona'' T-shirt.

Ryder has appeared in more than two dozen movies, including ``Mr. Deeds,'' ``Alien Resurrection,'' ``Reality Bites'' and ``Edward Scissorhands.''