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Palumbo pleads guilty to stalking Twain

Toronto Star
By Curtis Rush
September 30, 2011

There was more courtroom drama Friday afternoon when Giovanni Palumbo suddenly pleaded guilty to two charges related to stalking Shania Twain.

Palumbo had been charged with failure to comply with a court order and criminal harassment by watching and besetting and he will now be assessed at the Royal Ottawa Hospital.

Earlier, an emotional Shania Twain begged the court, “I just want it to stop” as she ended her testimony against accused stalker Dr. Giovanni Palumbo on Friday.

In the second day of the trial in Toronto, Twain fended off suggestions that by not responding to Palumbo’s pleas to meet her, she was encouraging him.

Her brother-in-law had told Palumbo personally that she didn’t want to associate with him, she testified via video link from an undisclosed location in Europe. She also said she instructed a flower shop in Switzerland to stop all orders from Palumbo.

“I am torn emotionally because I have compassion for anybody who is reaching out. The fans often do that. I appreciate their trust,” she said of having to testify.

“Yesterday, I felt very sad and awkward. It’s such an invasion of his privacy,” releasing his love letters publicly. I’m so not enjoying this aspect of this. I still have fears and anxiety about being contacted by Mr. Palumbo. I just wish it to stop.”

With that, Justice Richard Schneider and thanked Twain for her testimony and Palumbo bowed his head, was handcuffed and was led out of the court.

lawyer Gary Barnes said, “He (Palumbo) feels terrible. He's upset the lady he loves. Who wouldn't feel sorry about that.”

Earlier in the day, during his cross examination, Barnes pressed the point that Palumbo’s letters had been ardent and adoring but never threatening.

“The letters keep coming and get more intense,” Twain responded. “That is out of the zone of fan relationships.

“I love my fans and my fans love me but we don’t invite each other out on dates.”

Referring to Palumbo’s invitation to meet, she said, “He’s gone on to the next stage of our relationship and I haven’t even begun it. It was a one-way communication. It’s strange. That alarms me.”

At that point that Palumbo jumped to his feet. It was his second outburst, the previous one coming on the first day of the trial on Thursday.

“But I didn’t know that you’d received any of them,” he yelled at the video monitor in a courtroom at Toronto’s Old City Hall.

Schneider admonished him to stay quiet and only discuss the case with his lawyer.

Palumbo responded, “It’s very emotional. Please understand I have very strong emotions. I apologize for the delay.”

The judge called a 20-minute recess.

Palumbo has been in jail since March 27 when he was accused of breaching an order to stay away from the Canadian music legend.

The court heard Thursday that Palumbo sent Twain a series of love letters and flowers in 2009. Excerpts were read in court, the tone growing more serious as he pressed the music star to meet with him.

In 2009, Palumbo was convicted of assault and uttering death threats against his ex-wife.

In February of 2010, Twain filed an affidavit to the Ottawa police that said that she “found the content of the letters to be disturbing.”

His correspondence and attention “toward me is unwanted and has caused me to be concerned for my own safety and the safety of my son and others associated with us,” the affidavit said.

A criminal harassment trial started in Ottawa earlier this year but was charges were dropped when Twain failed to show up. She had said she wanted to stay as far away as possible.

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