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Twain stalking case delayed, after report finds doctor criminally responsible

Toronto Star
By Curtis Rush
October 18, 2011

After what the Crown determined to be the “grandiose nature” of Dr. Giovanni (John) Palumbo's answers during a cross examination at his sentencing hearing Tuesday, the judge called for another delay so that the doctor who presented a mental health assessment report can appear as a witness.

The report, which found the Shania Twain stalker to be criminally responsible for harassing the five time Grammy award winner, has been called into question.

During his time on the witness stand Palumbo became very agitated and denied several points asserted by Crown Attorney John Flaherty.

At one time Palumbo praised “the Creator” during a rambling answer.

He also denied suggestions that he kept trying to see Twain even though he knew she was afraid of him because of the intensity of his love letters and the fact that he appeared a her Muskoka cottage in 2009.

Palumbo testified Tuesday that he assumed Twain wasn't receiving the letters and sought to meet her in person to hear for himself.

He also said he had suspicions that Twain's handlers and security detail were interfering and he wasn't sure of Twain's personal feelings toward him.

A bail hearing has been called for 9a.m. Wednesday morning so Palumbo can be released while he awaits the resumption of his sentencing hearing.

“I don't have to stay in a shelter,” Palumbo said to the judge. “I have cash and a credit card.”

Earlier Palumbo testified that he was housed with two “sexual deviants” at the Don Jail and they would watch him as he urinated into the toilet, making him feel “tormented.”

Ontario court Justice Richard Schneider agreed with defence attorney Gary Barnes that a bail hearing be expedited since the sentencing hearing may not continue for several weeks until they find out when Dr. Helen Ward can be called to testify.

Barnes is seeking a penalty of time served, which is about seven months.

The Crown proposes a conditional sentence of a further five months of house arrest to be followed by probation.

Palumbo, a 51-year-old Ottawa doctor with a history of mental illness, initially pleaded not guilty to criminal harassment and to breaching a court order to stay away from Twain.

However, he changed his pleas during a trial in September after the country music superstar testified against him in a Toronto court via videolink from Europe.

The September trial marked the first time Palumbo had heard directly from Twain that she was afraid of his letters and advances, and wanted him to stop.

“I love my fans and my fans love me but we don’t invite each other out on dates,” the 46-year-old entertainer testified. “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.”

Palumbo was arrested March 27 after being spotted in the crowd at the Air Canada Centre, where Twain was attending the Juno Awards.

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