Pad Thai Slapper Not Guilty for Trader Joe's Fight

Though she may have slapped television commentator Dr. Cathleen London across the face in the middle of a Trader Joe's, opera singer (and newly dubbed "Pad Thai Slapper") Marcella Caprario was acquitted yesterday of all charges, leaving her free to consume as much vegan Pad Thai as she can get her hands on.

The verdict, decided by Judge ShawnDya Simpson in Manhattan, came down to one question:

Is a slap in the face of supermarket rudeness self-defense?

The incident in question occurred in a Manhattan Trader Joe's back in January, reports the Daily News. Marcella Caprario and her husband, Bill Hobbs, were shopping when they were interrupted by Dr. London's 13-year-old son.

The teen had gotten between Hobbs and the frozen vegan Pad Thai, prompting Caprario to call him "New York rude."

An altercation erupted, but it's unclear just how the events unfolded.

Dr. London claimed that Caprario cursed at her, whereas Caprario claimed that London took a "defensive stance," reports The New York Times.

Either way, she slapped the doctor, and was tried for attempted assault and harassment.

Self-defense basically comes down to whether a person reasonably believed they were in imminent harm and, if so, whether she used a reasonable amount of force.

Whether Caprario actually thought she was in danger (as opposed to her vegan Pad Thai) is still up for debate, but if the New York Times correctly assessed the judge's annoyance with both parties, then chances are our "Pad Thai Slapper" Marcella Caprario was at least partially acquitted because the judge felt the entire ordeal was a waste of time.

Related Resources:

• Marcella Caprario Let Off the Hook in Trader Joe's Thai Food Slapping Trial (Village Voice)
• Defending Yourself Against a Criminal Charge (FindLaw)
• Can I Shoot a Burglar in Self Defense? (FindLaw's Blotter)