Calif. Lawmaker’s Lawyer Says Brain Tumor Caused Her to Shoplift $2,500 Worth of Clothing
- Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:06am by
Madeleine Morgenstern
- Print »
- Email »
A lawyer for California Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi said Friday his client's brain tumor caused her to walk out of a store with $2,500 worth of merchandise. (AP File Photo)
The lawyer for a California lawmaker sentenced to three years of probation for shoplifting said a benign brain tumor is responsible for his client trying to steal $2,500 in clothes from the Nieman Marcus in San Francisco.
Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi was arrested in October after surveillance cameras spotted her walking out the doors with unpaid merchandise, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Shortly after her arrest, a spokesman for the Democratic lawmaker said she was distracted by a ringing cell phone and forgot to pay for the clothing, which included leather pants, a white blouse and black skirt.
But after a court hearing Friday, attorney Douglas Rappaport offered a different explanation for his client’s shoplifting: Hayashi was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor that was to blame for the incident.
“Now that Ms. Hayashi’s medical condition resulting in her arrest has been taken care of, she decided that she would resolve the case as well,” Rappaport said, according to an Associated Press report.
“It is being treated,” he added. “It’s no longer affecting her concentration or her judgment.”
On Friday, Hiyashi struck a deal with the court in which her charge was reduced from felony grand theft to a misdemeanor in exchange for changing her plea from not guilty to no contest.
Rappaport‘s explanation is still at odds with Hayashi’s spokesman: Though he confirmed Hayashi has a tumor, Sam Singer told San Francisco ABC affiliate KGO-TV, “It did not play a role in her forgetfulness and distraction in accidentally walking out.”
Prosecutors said the decision to reduce her charges was not due to either explanation, but because she was a first-time offender and admitted her guilt early on, according to KGO.
Hayashi was elected in 2006 and will be term limited out this year.
Popular Stories
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 667 Comments
‘Jumah at the DNC’ Speaker: ‘Muslims Visited America Prior to Columbus’ & ‘It Was a Muslim’ Who Guided Him to the ‘New World’ 525 Comments
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 371 Comments
Obama: RNC Like Watching ‘Black-and-White TV’ Because Romney ‘Did Not Offer a Single New Idea’ 364 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 326 Comments
Faith
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 247 Comments- Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More
- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 254 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order Read More
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 147 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 300 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 247 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (94)
MCDAVE
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:46pmWhat a BullSht excuse Shameful behavior
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 2:24pmSo, temporary insanity has been replaced with “TEMPORARY BRAIN TUMOR”…
ROTFL
They must think WE have “diminished capacity.”
Report Post »VicksVaporub
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 2:58pmMust be a lot of brain tumors in Washington DC.
Report Post »ddg7
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 7:41pm@McDave…Ditto!
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:15pmSo her husbands a judge ehh??? Its always amazing to me how many of these couples are both sucking off the taxpayer… I’d like to puke in both of their faces….
Report Post »KOCHLEFFEL
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 1:56pmHe is a judge at the superior court in Alameda and the thieve is a California Law Maker.
Report Post »Do you wonder why California is al screwed up?
Baddoggy
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:13pmLiberal brain…always filled with tumors or crap…
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:09pm..
Me crazy, got Tumor, make me steal long time…..
OH!!!! Give me a Break……………
Report Post »NOBAMA201258
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:30pmCalifornia has term limits? Why doesn’t the whole country?
Report Post »NotAsheeple
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 3:50pm@NoObama201258,
Report Post »Here term limit should be Immediately up…You do a crime, you are BARRED from any type of Political Office for LIFE.!
SCHEXbp
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 7:13pmCongressional Term Limits, the only item not successfully completed from Newt’s Contract with America, LOST in the Supreme Court by a 5-4 vote. Read Justice Thomas’ dissent for a common sense refutation of the ruling. Now they need a new law to re-try it, or make is a Constitutuonal Amendment.
Report Post »BetterDays
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:09pmIcked wevil, she’s married to a JUDGE, and she‘s in Piglosi’s district, and she’s a socialist, so of course she’s unaccountable for her actions. The more I read about progressive/liberal/socialists the more I see how only a lead lobotomy can help their collective tumor. I wish this were not the case, but these diseased humanoids are doing this to our nation every day, and BTW the republican side of the disease are neocons.
Report Post »I can’t possibly describe the low esteem in which I hold the government, but I love my country.
I haven’t fed the beast a cent in several years, it’s all I can do, we must starve the beast literally.
Why should the 53% keep paying for it’s own demise? Is doing so not the clinical definition of insanity?when the government collapses due to bankruptcy, who is going to pay your SSI or welfare , and it is already 103% of GDP according to those “trustworthy” government numbers people, the answer no one wants to hear is still the same, NOBODY!
your sensei
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 8:40amBITTER DAZE . . . “I haven’t fed the beast a cent in several years, it’s all I can do, we must starve the beast literally . . . Why should the 53% keep paying for it’s own demise?”
Sounds like you’re not paying your taxes. Shame on you., I’ve reported you to the IRS and asked that your tax returns be audited and that your SSI and Medicare be suspended until all outstanding issues have been resolved.
Report Post »toto
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 6:31pmA lack of ethics, honestly, self respect, and respect for others and the law are required to wear the liberal, socialist, democratic label. She SHOULD be so ashamed of herself that she would resign. She is disgusting.
Report Post »GULFVETCELL13
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 8:31pmWatch out for sonderkommando
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:00pmWhat do you expect… She’s a KLEPTOCRAT !!! all they know how to do is steal from other people…. But its always for a great sounding cause…. And they always get their 40% cut…. THIEVES !
Report Post »HKS
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:12pmOnly a liberal could possibly come up with this **it.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:54amShe was’nt stealing those things…. She’s a Democrat, she’s entitled to other peoples property!!!
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:49amShe was just trying to relate to her Democrat Welfare grubbin supporters, so she could have a better understanding….
Report Post »blazingaway
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:46amPerhaps this is the answer to all our troubles.
Report Post »We need to have all politicians examined for this condition.
If they have it they need to resign.
It’s the only logical explanation for their repeated insane actions
Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:44amGod only knows what her Hemmorhoids were telling her what to do……
Report Post »NOBAMA201258
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:34pmDETROIT Her hemis were telling her to STAND up for something
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:43amI think if you really delve into her past, this is not the first time she shoplifted; brain tumor or no tumor. We already know how cheap Liberals are except when it comes to other peoples money, why should she be any different?
Thankfully, the tumor was benign too bad she isn’t.
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:42amWhy is she still eligible to be a legislator if her judgement is impaired?? Oh, shes a DEMOCRAT, Nevermind
Report Post »barber2
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 1:29pmAnd she must be running in San Francisco, where those people have elected another person who might be in need of a brain scan…
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:41amThere is a small zit on my back , its been telling me to stop paying my taxes ……..
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:41amHmm, maybe Obama has a brain tumor.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:02pm.
It’s not a tumor. He’s just ate up with the dumb@ss………….
Geaux Saints………
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:12pm@gonzo
Report Post »Nope, he IS a tumor….
BetterDays
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:21pmI’d like to see the origional certificate of Obamas Tumor please, not a poorly done adobe illustrator manipulated fake one!
Report Post »Bill Rowland
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 5:29pmHe’s a tumor all right – but its not a brain tumor – its at the other end of his spine.
OMG
Report Post »your sensei
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 8:37amBITTER DAZE . . . a birther, eh? Why am I not surprised. Thank you for your service. With more people like you and your role model Orly Taitz, Obama is assured victory in 2012.
Free Scooter!
Report Post »nolefan2
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:39amThank God for term limits. I think GWB should say he had a benign brain tumor. Then maybe the liberals will stop blaming him for everything wrong with this country.
Report Post »oddball130
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:31amJust doing what a politican does best, steal from others with no consequences.
Report Post »burned at edges
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:27amMaybe after having the tumor removed and her judgment is no longer impaired she switch to the republican party.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:23amShe is a Democrat who was probably answering her tumor’s call to “redistribute” goods from that nasty, rich, capitalistic , evil corporation : Neiman Marcus in SAN FRANCISCO. Hello, Nancy ?
Report Post »Frogginit
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:23amWell, that’s good news. My hemroids have had me thinking about robbing a bank for a long time. Now I just might do it
Report Post »diablosho
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:19amPituitary Adenoma’s are benign, are present in >40% of the population, and the treatment of these adenoma’s includes Dopamine Agonists, which are well known for Personality changes (people suddenly become gay, cross-dressers, compulsive-gamblers, sex-addicts, compulsive-liers, etc.). Pretty interesting stuff really. A tumor affecting the Dopamine Pathway could have caused a sudden personality shift, although it’s doubtful in this case (since they said “benign tumor”)
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:38am@Diablosho
Report Post »So….. They become Democrats ?
OlefromMN
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:15amTypical Democrat. They only know how to steal. I wonder what this gal’s salary is? California residents only have themselves to blame.
Report Post »democritusoilder267
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:14amOnly in California.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:19pm@democritus
Report Post »And DC…..
Hickory
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:13amI am old and probably suffering from some dementia. Could I use this to justify taking a Porsche and picking up a hot babe? After all, my judgment could be clouded. Just sayin’.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:07pm@hickory
Report Post »You may be old, but hot babes will keep ya young ! Trust me ; ))
hersey10
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:12amYeah I remember my father went on a car stealing spree right before he was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor . If this woman isn’t forced to step down by the voters , then the people of CA deserve her.
Report Post »Southernguy
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:12amBull!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:20amYup!
She just did it wrong .. going into a store .. she should have done like Nancy Pelosi and did her “stealing” by inside tradeing, etc.
Report Post »SCHEXbp
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 7:17pmWhy, oh why, aren’t highly-placed allegedly responsible officials published MORE harshly than a common citizen? Aren’t they also the 1% in more ways than one?
Report Post »