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Mother: Wendy's finger used to settle debt
Associated Press ^ | May. 18, 2005 | Associated Press

Posted on 05/18/2005 10:03:22 AM PDT by Dubya

SAN JOSE, Calif. - A man who lost part of his finger in a workplace accident was the source of the fingertip used in an alleged scam against Wendy's restaurants, and gave it away to settle a debt, his mother said.

"My son is the victim in this," Brenda Shouey said in an interview published in Wednesday's San Francisco Chronicle. "I believe he got caught in something, and he didn't understand what was going on."

Anna Ayala, 39, was arrested April 21 at her Las Vegas home on suspicion of attempted grand theft for allegedly costing Wendy's millions of dollars in a plot to shake down the company by claiming she found the finger in a bowl of chili in a restaurant in San Jose.

Ayala was to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon.

Shouey, of Worthington, Pa., said her son, Brian Paul Rossiter, 36, of Las Vegas, lost part of his finger in December in an accident at a paving company where he worked with James Plascencia, Ayala's husband. His hand got caught in a mechanical truck lift, she said.

She said he gave it to Plascencia to settle a $50 debt.

San Jose police announced last week the finger was obtained from an associate of Plascencia, but they have refused to identify him because he is cooperating in the investigation. They did not immediately return a message Wednesday seeking comment on the newspaper's account.

Shouey said her son had showed the severed finger to co-workers in a macho display of humor and was desperate for cash when he gave it away "to this character, James."

"My son is a happy-go-lucky guy. He thought it was cute to show" the severed finger, Shouey said. "It's like a man thing."

Shouey declined to give details of how the finger was preserved or whether Rossiter knew why Plascencia allegedly wanted the finger. She said her son told her of his role only this week and is keeping a low profile after undergoing intense police questioning.

Plascencia was arrested earlier this month on unrelated charges of failing to pay child support in a previous relationship.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ambulancechaser; annaayala; chilifinger; frivelouslawsuit; johnedwards; lawsuitabuse; loserpays
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1 posted on 05/18/2005 10:03:23 AM PDT by Dubya
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To: null and void; Dubya

ping


2 posted on 05/18/2005 10:04:13 AM PDT by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: Dubya; Owl_Eagle

If the insurance companies find out that a finger is only worth $50.00, watch out. They will lower their pay outs considerably.


3 posted on 05/18/2005 10:05:03 AM PDT by Jersey Republican Biker Chick (People too weak to follow their own dreams, will always find a way to discourage yours.)
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To: Dubya
"I believe he got caught in something, and he didn't understand what was going on."

Yeah, he got caught in something alright, and it took his finger off!

4 posted on 05/18/2005 10:06:08 AM PDT by SlowBoat407 (A living affront to Islam since 1959)
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To: Dubya
My son is a happy-go-lucky guy. He thought it was cute to show" the severed finger, Shouey said. "It's like a man thing."

Not this man's idea of "giving the finger".
5 posted on 05/18/2005 10:06:23 AM PDT by over3Owithabrain
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To: Dubya

>>>>"My son is a happy-go-lucky guy. He thought it was cute to show" the severed finger, Shouey said. "It's like a man thing."

Cute? A man thing????


6 posted on 05/18/2005 10:06:25 AM PDT by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: Dubya

Dude shoulda tried Ebay...


7 posted on 05/18/2005 10:06:52 AM PDT by Senator Pardek
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To: Dubya
"My son is a happy-go-lucky guy. He thought it was cute to show" the severed finger, Shouey said. "It's like a man thing."

Ya get the feeling that this gene pool is on the shallow side?

8 posted on 05/18/2005 10:07:31 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows ("You would have to double your IQ to be stupid. " --zip)
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To: Dubya

This is just TOO weird....


And how again did this finger end up in Ayala's chili? Her weird husband playing a sick joke? And getting Wendy's in trouble?


9 posted on 05/18/2005 10:08:00 AM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue.)
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To: Calpernia
Wouldn't it be nice if you could give the finger to everyone you owed money to?

Mastercard, I'm talking to you!

10 posted on 05/18/2005 10:08:00 AM PDT by Stu Cohen (Press '1' for English)
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To: Stu Cohen

Just hope you don't owe them an arm and a leg.


11 posted on 05/18/2005 10:09:19 AM PDT by conservativewasp (Support John Kerry......... Ho Chi Minh would. Damn! Now I need a new tagline.)
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To: Dubya

"My son is a victim in this."

Oh, OK.

Where can I sign up to be a "victim"? I happen to be a "victim" and I WANT MONEY FOR IT.


12 posted on 05/18/2005 10:09:19 AM PDT by ishabibble
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To: Stu Cohen

Wasn't there a twilight zone or outer limits that cut off the fingers of smokers?


13 posted on 05/18/2005 10:09:54 AM PDT by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: the OlLine Rebel
And how again did this finger end up in Ayala's chili? Her weird husband playing a sick joke? And getting Wendy's in trouble?

Of course not. Her husband got the idea to pull the scam the moment he had the chance to obtain someone's finger. This story, if true, is going to destroy the defense because it shows how premeditated the crime was.

14 posted on 05/18/2005 10:11:33 AM PDT by Mr. Jeeves ("Violence never settles anything." Genghis Khan, 1162-1227)
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To: the OlLine Rebel
And how again did this finger end up in Ayala's chili? Her weird husband playing a sick joke? And getting Wendy's in trouble?

Huh? She has a history of lawsuits. She decided to put it there to obtain her big payday.

15 posted on 05/18/2005 10:15:34 AM PDT by PBRSTREETGANG
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To: Mr. Jeeves

I have a Lady Finger every so often and sometimes a Bear Claw.


16 posted on 05/18/2005 10:18:43 AM PDT by battlegearboat
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To: Dubya

Well, where are all the realitives of the accused now? They had no problem showing their big fat faces, supporting the accused before, and yelling at all the reporters. Why don't they speak their piece now?
And what does the accused say now, now that she has been caught big-time?


17 posted on 05/18/2005 10:19:34 AM PDT by rawhide
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To: Calpernia
Cute? A man thing????

LOL - I thought the same thing!

18 posted on 05/18/2005 10:20:39 AM PDT by zlala (I used to have a handle on life but it broke.)
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To: Calpernia

Actually, that was a short story by Stephen King called Quitters, Inc. It was included in a 1985 movie anthology called Cat's Eye.


19 posted on 05/18/2005 10:23:11 AM PDT by Exeter (If Life gives you lemons, just shut up and eat the damn lemons!)
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To: rawhide
Ayala is going to be involved in a lawsuit, just like she planned. However, it's going to be the one filed by Wendy's against her.

I hope they take every penny she has, and that the DA sends her to the slammer for life.

20 posted on 05/18/2005 10:23:38 AM PDT by Dog Gone
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