Attorney: Brain tumor caused lawmaker to shoplift

[The Straight Story]

Attorney: Brain tumor caused lawmaker to shoplift

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The attorney for a California lawmaker says she was diagnosed with a brain tumor that caused a shoplifting incident.

Democratic Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi pleaded no contest Friday to a misdemeanor count of grand theft in San Francisco Superior Court.

The charge stemmed from her October arrest after authorities said surveillance cameras at the Neiman Marcus store at Union Square showed her walking out the doors with unpurchased clothing in her shopping bag. She was accused of stealing nearly $2,500 worth of items, including leather pants.

Defense attorney Douglas Rappaport said after the hearing that his client was diagnosed with a brain tumor that played a part in the shoplifting.

http://www.news10.net/news/article/171702/2/Attorney-Brain-tumor-caused-lawmaker-to-shoplift

[MineralMan]

1. It's entirely possible that was the case.

One of the symptoms of a possible brain tumor is a change in behavioral patterns.

[DCKit]

2. First Clue: The Leather Pants nt

[DefenseLawyer]

3. I have no scientific data, just my own observations

but think most adults that shoplift are bi-polar. One of the things the manic phase produces is a feeling of being "bulletproof" and all one's really bad ideas (like stealing leather pants) sudden seem like great ideas. I know in the majority of cases I have seen over the years that has been the case.