Asians behaving badly... shoplifting state legislator edition! This week in San Francisco, Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi was arrested for allegedly shoplifting $2,000 worth of merchandise from Neiman Marcus: Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi charged with shoplifting at Neiman Marcus.Video surveillance cameras caught Hayashi, who represents the East Bay's 18th Assembly District, stuffing $2,450 worth of unpaid items -- apparently leather pants, a black skirt and white blouse -- into a shopping bag. She was stopped by store security after leaving the store:
Hayashi, 45, who has served in the Assembly since 2006 — and is married to Alameda Superior Court Judge Dennis Hayashi — was arraigned Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court. She had earlier posted $15,000 bail.Hayashi, who is married to Alameda Superior Court Judge Dennis Hayashi and is the first Korean American woman to be elected to the state Legislature, was in court this week and pleaded not guilty to one count of felony grand theft.
Hayashi was stopped by Neiman Marcus' security detail shortly after leaving the store around 12:15 p.m. Tuesday with a shopping bag that included three items worth $2,450 that she hadn't paid for when she checked out at the register, the district attorney's office said.
Prosecutors did not specify what the items were, but a source familiar with the case tells us they were leather pants, a black skirt and white blouse.
Dang. What were you thinking, Assemblywoman? All this over some leather pants? Really? According to Hayashi's spokeswoman, it's all apparently a big mistake and "misunderstanding": Calif. Lawmaker Says Shoplift Was Misunderstanding.