Alleged Ashanti Stalker Claims Innocence In Closing Arguments
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Devar Hurd, defending himself in his second trial for stalking Ashanti and her family, told jurors in closing arguments that "there was nothing to show I intended to harass, annoy or alarm; nothing to show I intended to rape, kidnap or kill her. I never stalked this girl."
However, as WCBS 880's Irene Cornell reported, prosecutor Rachel Earhart painted a far different picture of the case. As she put it, Hurd will not stop and is obsessed with the singer. We've all seen the movie, she said, about the obsessed fan who starts making contact through social media and starts showing up at events and asked, "What's next?"
Alleged Ashanti Stalker Claims Innocence In Closing Arguments
As the prosecutor told jurors, it was apparent how Hurd was "positively gleeful" sitting no more than 10 feet from Ashanti, taking his time to question her and keeping her on the stand as he knew this was the only way he'd ever be able to talk to her.
Ashanti says she was "disgusted" and "absolutely scared" when she learned in July 2013 that a fan who had been convicted of stalking her had since been tweeting her X-rated messages and posed for a photo with her sister.
Hurd was convicted in 2009 of stalking and served about two years in jail. He argued that if his tweets were not welcomed, the "Foolish" singer could have blocked him on the social media site.
He is charged with stalking and aggravated harassment.
Prosecutors allege that once Hurd got out of jail in 2011, he started harassing Ashanti again, beginning with phone calls to Tina Douglas, the singer's mother and manager.
Assistant District Attorney Kathryn Werner told jurors in opening arguments Monday that Hurd was unfazed by his earlier conviction, jail time and the protection order.
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