Woman tells of harassment in TV anchor stalking case
The romance began on Facebook and ended on the third date, after Laura Selvage's new boyfriend made some "creepy comments" when she fell asleep near him as they watched a movie at her parents' Baltimore-area home.
The romance began on Facebook and ended on the third date, after Laura Selvage's new boyfriend made some "creepy comments" when she fell asleep near him as they watched a movie at her parents' Baltimore-area home.
Then followed a campaign of abusive calls and text messages, and the sabotage of her social media accounts and emails. Selvage said she sought a restraining order, but was denied. Baltimore County authorities did not seem interested in prosecuting, she said.
But in October 2011, Selvage told a Philadelphia jury Tuesday, a Baltimore police officer called and said she should contact Philadelphia police detectives. Selvage's ex-boyfriend, John Hart, had been arrested for stalking and harassing a Philadelphia television news anchor, CBS3's Erika von Tiehl.
Though Philadelphia police could not help Selvage with her allegations against Hart, she testified that she immediately contacted Philadelphia Police Detective Kate Gordon.
"What were your concerns?" asked Assistant District Attorney Lauren Katona.
"That there was another girl who did not have to endure what I had gone through," Selvage replied.
Selvage testified in the second day of the Common Pleas Court trial of Hart, 39, of Havertown, who is charged with stalking, harassment, and identity theft in an alleged campaign against von Tiehl in late 2011 after she ended their brief relationship.
Hart is not charged with any crimes involving his earlier relationship with Selvage. Rather, Katona has told the jury that Selvage's testimony would show a pattern of conduct by Hart that supported von Tiehl.
The similarities were striking, down to the women's appearance: tall and thin with blond hair. So was the conduct: Hart's unsolicited overture via Facebook; several dates, followed by the women rejecting Hart's pushing too hard for a long-term relationship; and a campaign of abusive calls, texts and interference with social media, emails and other personal accounts.
In court, Hart acted as if his former girlfriends did not exist. He scribbled notes on a legal pad, whispered into defense lawyer Jack McMahon's ear, and, during von Tiehl's testimony, rummaged for 10 minutes through an accordion file folder on the floor next to his chair.
McMahon has argued that there is no evidence Hart knew the passwords, Social Security numbers, and other personal information needed to disrupt the women's lives.
McMahon called "one-sided" Selvage's log of 74 abusive text messages from Hart on March 27, 2011, after she ended the relationship. The log contained only Hart's replies, not her side of the electronic communications.
McMahon noted that Selvage came forward only after detectives told her about Hart's arrest and the case against him.
Both women identified Hart's voice on recorded phone calls made to them after the breakups. Von Tiehl said Hart was the "Mickey Mouse-like" voice on a recorded call to Verizon trying to change her cellphone account.
Von Tiehl finished testifying earlier Tuesday. Like Selvage, she said she still feels the emotional impact of her relationship with Hart and is embarrassed to talk about it.
"I still worry about it and it's embarrassing, but someone has to stand up," she added.
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