'Will & Grace' Star Charged with Theft

By Stephen M. Silverman

Wednesday April 30, 2003 01:00 PM EDT

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Usually the worst thing actress Shelley Morrison has to deal with is being upstaged by Megan Mullally on "Will & Grace."

But on Tuesday, Morrison, 66, who plays the tart-tongued maid Rosario on the NBC sitcom, was charged with misdemeanor theft in connection with her shoplifting arrest last week in a Los Angeles Robinsons-May department store, reports Reuters.

Morrison (real name: Rachel Dominguez) was taken into custody on April 23 after the store's security officers allegedly caught her trying to steal costume jewelry valued at $446, authorities tell the news service.

The alleged theft qualifies as a felony because the items cost more than $400, but the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office reduced the charge to a misdemeanor, the office said, given that the value of merchandise in question was just over $400 and the actress had no prior criminal record.

Morrison was released after posting $20,000 bail. An arraignment is scheduled for May 14.

Morrison's lawyer, Donald Etra, tells Reuters his client was "relieved and gratified that she is not being charged with a felony," and, "at this point, she stands innocent.

"Until she receives formal notice of the charges, and the evidence behind them at the arraignment, she cannot comment further," Etra added. "Ms. Morrison does stand on her impeccable record as a wonderful actress and humanitarian."