A state Assemblywoman accused of shoplifting at a Neiman Marcus store in San Francisco’s Union Square in October was once again excused today from appearing at her next court hearing, which has been scheduled for next month.
Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi, D-Hayward, was arrested Oct. 25 after a security officer at the store at 150 Stockton St. stopped her because she was leaving with items worth $2,445 that she hadn’t paid for, prosecutors said.
The 45-year-old assemblywoman pleaded not guilty to a felony grand theft charge two days later and was released on $15,000 bail.
Hayashi was excused from appearing in San Francisco Superior Court for a Nov. 15 hearing to set a date for the preliminary hearing, and was excused again when that hearing was postponed until today.
This morning, defense attorney Douglas Rappaport asked for the date-setting hearing to be delayed yet again because he has not received all the evidence in the case yet. He asked for Hayashi to be excused from the next hearing as well.
Prosecutor Paul Brennan objected, saying she had already been excused twice, but Judge Gerardo Sandoval accepted the defense’s request.
Rappaport said he is still awaiting evidence from the Neiman Marcus store before the case can move forward.
An attorney representing the company, Ori Edelstein from the law firm Bryan Cave, was also in court today but declined to comment on the case.
The case will return to court on Jan. 6 to possibly set a date for the preliminary hearing.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
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