A 76-year-old reformed mobster explained what compelled him to steal Dorothy's ruby red slippers from "The Wizard of Oz" in a final letter to the court ahead of his sentencing.
Terry Martin gave into the temptation of "one last score" and went ahead with the 2005 theft, his lawyer wrote in court documents obtained by Fox News Digital. He was allegedly approached by an "old mob associate" who asked Martin if he would steal the shoes worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 film.
"At first, Terry declined the invitation to participate in the heist. But old habits die hard, and the thought of a ‘final score’ kept him up at night," Dane DeKrey wrote. "After much contemplation, Terry had a criminal relapse and decided to participate in the theft."
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Terry Jon Martin prepares to leave a federal courthouse on Oct. 13. (Dan Kraker/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)
When Martin stole the slippers in 2005 from a museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he did not realize the rubies affixed to the shoes were not real.
"Unaware of the cultural significance and value of the slippers themselves, Terry angrily decided to simply cut his losses and move on," according to DeKrey. "He gave the slippers to the associate who had recruited him for the job and told the man that he never wanted to see them again."
At the time of the theft, the slippers were insured for $1 million and the fair market appraisal value of the slippers in May 2023 was $3.5 million, the Department of Justice wrote in a press release.
Judy Garland wore the iconic ruby slippers when she played Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz." (Moviestore/Shutterstock)
"The ruby slippers, which were recovered by the FBI and Grand Rapids Police Department in July 2018, are one of the four remaining pairs and are widely viewed as among the most recognizable memorabilia in American film history," the press release stated.
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Ruby slippers once worn by Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz" are displayed at a news conference on Sept. 4, 2018, at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen)
Martin had the slippers in his possession for less than 48 hours before handing them over to the unnamed associate, according to the memo.
Martin's memo, filed Jan. 19, is Martin's request to be sentenced to time served due to his failing health. According to his lawyer, Martin is "at death's door" and has qualified for hospice care.
"Terry Martin never meant to be a criminal celebrity. He happened upon it when he broke two panes of glass in a museum and stole a pair of red sequined slippers," his lawyer said. "He deeply regrets this decision and is ready to accept his punishment. But he’s no monster. He’s a dying man ready to meet his maker. He asks the Court to accept the parties’ joint plea agreement and sentence him to time served."
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Rhys Thomas, author of "The Ruby Slippers of Oz," takes a photo of a pair of ruby slippers once worn by Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz." (Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via AP)
Martin entered a guilty plea in October and will be sentenced on Jan. 29.
The former mobster's lawyers and federal prosecutors have both recommended the judge sentence him to time served due to his health.
