Man accused of hiding stolen Wizard Of Oz ruby slippers has died – prosecutors

The original ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the classic 1939 film The Wizard Of Oz are displayed in London ahead of being offered for auction on at Heritage Auctions in the US in 2024 (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP)

A US federal judge has dismissed the charges against a man accused of hiding a stolen pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in the 1939 musical The Wizard Of Oz after prosecutors informed the court that he died on Sunday.

Jerry Hal Saliterman, 77, of Crystal, Minnesota, who had been in poor health with lung disease and other ailments, had been scheduled to change his plea to guilty in January but that hearing was postponed indefinitely after he was admitted to hospital.