Frances McDormand’s Oscar Theft Case Dropped Suddenly By Los Angeles D.A.
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File this under … just plain old weird. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office can’t or won’t say why, but the criminal case against the man who allegedly stole Frances McDormand’s Best Actress Oscar in 2018 is over, at least for now.
Terry Bryant was up against a felony grand theft charge for lifting the Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri star’s statuette at the post-ceremony Governors Ball. But that all went away Tuesday in what seemed like a Keystone Kops move in Los Angles Superior Court.
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“The District Attorney’s Office today told the court that we are unable to proceed at this time,” a spokesperson for D.A. Jackie Lacey said. “The defense made a motion to dismiss the case, and Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Sam Ohta dismissed it,” the D.A’s office added. “We don’t have further comment.”
They don’t have further comment for an incident that was captured by photographs and put on Facebook by a tux-wearing Bryant himself, who has always insisted on his innocence in the admittedly odd incident. The D.A. also doesn’t seem to have plans to do anything with this case, with prosecutors telling Ohta they have no intention of refiling the matter “at this time.”
Out on $20,000 bail after being arrested on March 6 last year, Bryant faced a maximum sentence of three years in county jail if convicted of stealing the quickly recovered statuette.
The accused’s lawyer Daniel Brookman did not respond to request for comment on what went down today. However, not much doubt it was a happy day for the defense.
No word what McDormand thinks of the whole thing, but the acclaimed actor did get her Oscar back soon after it was reported missing on the night of the 90th Academy Awards. So, no loss there.
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