TORONTO (AP) - A man accused of stalking Shania Twain interrupted testimony in his trial Thursday and declared in an outburst that he would plead guilty.
Giovanni Palumbo is charged with three counts of failure to comply with a court order and criminal harassment by watching and besetting.
The Canadian country singer testified via a video link Thursday that the former Ottawa doctor’s lovelorn letters and unexpected visits at her family cottage made her feel uncomfortable. She said she had to hire security for a family gathering at her Ontario cottage because Palumbo was seen repeatedly parked in his Lamborghini down the road.
And she also alleged that Palumbo visited her brother-in-law’s auto shop with a supposed car issue because he wanted to be closer to her. “The manipulation scared me a bit,” Twain said.
After roughly 90 minutes of Twain’s testimony, Palumbo _ clad in a rumpled black suit and wire-frame glasses _ abruptly stood and announced that he’d had enough.
“Eilleen, you can trust me, I’m going to plead guilty,” he said, using Twain’s real first name.
“I’ve been offended too much, your honor.”
A court recess followed. The trial had been scheduled to last three days.
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