Judge Mark Hanasono said on Wednesday that there was sufficient evidence for Terry Bryant to stand trial on grand theft charges. It was reported on the night of the Academy Awards in March that Frances McDormand, best actress winner had lost her Oscar, but was found in less than an hour.
Following the value of the Oscar statuette which a lawyer for the Academy said cost the organization between $2,300 and $2,500 for it to be purchased; the Superior court judge, Mark Hanasono declared that it only right for the alleged thief, Terry Bryant to stand trial aside sufficient evidence going against him.
The ruling came after a hearing in which a worker at the Academy, Cesario Tio testified about taking the Oscar away from Bryant as he tried to leave the ceremony’s official after-party with Dormand’s Oscar statuette. Tio said he heard a rumor that McDormand’s Oscar was missing and he later saw a man, who he identified to be Bryant, walk out of the ball holding a statuette and yelling “We did it! We did it!”
Tio said neither he nor the photographer recognized the man. The photographer took a picture of Bryant, who told them his statuette was won for best producer on Get Out, which Tio said he immediately knew wasn’t an award. A blown up image from the photographer’s camera showed a portion of McDormand’s name. Tio said he then grabbed the statuette from Bryant.
47-year old Bryant and his attorney, Daniel Brookman, argued in court that Bryant didn’t try to hide that he had Mc Dormand’s Oscar and the charge should be dismissed. “There was never an intent to deprive the owner of the property on a permanent basis,” Brookman said. The attorney also said McDormand did not want Bryant to be prosecuted and displayed detective’s report that said the actress stated she is not desirous of prosecution.
McDormand, however, did not show up in court on Wednesday to affirm the claim. “God is on my side,” Bryant exclaimed after the ruling. He is due to be arraigned, August 8.
