Uma Thurman now gets to have a little peace of mind. After a weeklong trial, her stalker Jack Jordan has been convicted of one count of stalking and one count of aggravated harassment. Jordan was acquitted on two additional stalking counts.

A lovesick former mental patient was convicted Tuesday of stalking and harassing Uma Thurman for more than two years, showing up on her front doorstep and movie set and sending the actress a series of creepy love letters.

Jack Jordan, a 37-year-old out-of-work lifeguard and pool cleaner, faces up to a year in jail. He was convicted of stalking and one count of aggravated harassment, and acquitted of two other harassment counts.

The verdict comes after a weeklong trial that featured riveting testimony from the Academy award-nominated actress, who told the jury she was “completely freaked out” by Jordan’s behavior.

Prosecutors say he had stalked her since 2005, when his crush on Thurman become so intense that he just had to be with the “Kill Bill” and “Pulp Fiction” star.

He showed up at her doorstep and the SoHo set of her movie “My Super Ex-Girlfriend” and sent a series of bizarre cards and letters to Thurman, including 20 of them while he was locked up at a mental institution.

[From the Huffington Post]

Jordan was involuntarily committed specifically for his obsession with Thurman, so I was surprised that he was still allowed to send her mail from the mental institution. Obviously his time there didn’t do any good, as he upped his efforts once he was released. In one of his letters, Jordan said that Uma’s two kids didn’t exist and that they were “an illusion.” Freakishly bizarre stuff, to say the least.

A friend of mine sat in on the trial for several days, and said that when he testified, he didn’t seem crazy, just way too intense. It sounds like he either got a lot of coaching from his lawyers, or is on some medication that’s straightening him out a bit.

Jordan testified in his own defense, saying Friday he now understands how Thurman could have been frightened by his attempts to see her… “In a misguided way I was trying to give her an opportunity to meet me and give myself an opportunity to meet her,” Jordan testified. “I was feeling distressed,” said Jordan. “I had this feeling of longing for Ms. Thurman and I was trying to explain it. I was not trying to scare her in any way.”

[Explaining his intent behind a card on which Jordan had drawn a picture of an open grave, a headstone and a man standing on the edge of a razor blade]: “I felt I was walking on the razor’s edge,” Jordan said. “I felt that it reflected this relationship that I unfortunately imagined that we had. … This cartoon was meant to amuse her, to endear me to her.”

The defendant also admitted that he told Thurman and her family he would kill himself if he couldn’t meet her. He said it “was a clumsy and poor way of expressing my emotions for her. I wasn’t feeling suicidal, but I was expressing a depth of feeling that was very distressing.”

[From the Huffington Post]

It seems like a good idea for Mr. Jordan to spend a bit of time in a hospital, at least for his own mental health. It’s hard to tell to what extent he was a danger to Uma Thurman, but clearly he broke the law, and knew what he was doing. Hopefully Uma and her kids will get some peace now, and be able to move on with their lives.

Here’s Jack Jordan arriving to Manhattan State Supreme Court for his stalking trial on May 2nd. Header of Uma Thurman arriving on May 2nd. Images thanks to Splash.

It seems like we’re hearing many more chilling stories about stalkers targeting celebrities. Uma Thurman gave emotional testimony on Thursday about a man who stalked and tormented her for two years, often waiting outside her NY apartment for her. 37 year-old Jack Jordan tried to break into Thurman’s trailer when she was filming in 2005. He lived in his car outside her place, and sent her disturbing hand drawn pictures and cards, calling her children an “illusion” and telling her she had no children. Thurman testified that she felt like she was in a “nightmare” and that she was “completely freaked out.” Jordan has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, according to his lawyer. He faces up to a year in jail if convicted.

Kate Hudson is filming Bride Wars in Boston with Anne Hathaway, and she also has a very mentally disturbed man interested in her. A 44 year-old man was arrested for burglary in Boston and police report that he “had an unhealthy interest in Kate Hudson.” Her security was alerted to the threat, and he’s being held on a mental evaluation for 30 days.

This guy doesn’t seem to have the wherewithal to actually find Hudson, but he’s certainly scary enough. Police found all sorts of brick a brack in his car including axes, lawn ornaments and women’s clothing:

Neil Bergman, 44, of Whitefield, N.H., was arraigned on burglary charges in Boston Municipal Court the other day and was packed off for a 30-day mental evaluation, the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office confirmed to the Track. Other sources report that after Bergman was apprehended, he allegedly ranted to cops about Hudson and her mother, actress Goldie Hawn.

“This suspect made statements to the arresting officers that indicated the individual had an unhealthy interest in Kate Hudson,” Boston police spokesgal Elaine Driscoll told the Track. “As a matter of caution, we alerted her security…”

Sources said the actress’ purported unwanted admirer, who claims to be a bartender at the Mountain View Grand Resort, was tossed out of the fab Four Seasons for “making a ruckus” the day before he was allegedly nabbed with stolen property. It’s unclear if Bergman thought Hudson was staying there. She is not.

BTW, Bergman supposedly posed as a gardener on Beacon Hill while allegedly burglarizing homes. Police arrested him last week near the Boston Common bandstand - he was wearing yellow slippers - and charged him with receiving stolen goods, burglary and other infractions.

In his 2000 Honda Civic, police allegedly found two axes, computer equipment, a copper weather vane, outdoor flower pots, an Elvis plate, a Christmas tree, ahem, and lots of women’s clothing.

[From BostonHerald.com via I’m Not Obsessed]

When you’re famous it’s not enough trouble to have everyone speculating about your personal life, you also have the threat of crazed stalkers looming over your head. You can kind of understand why Renee Zellweger sold her home and now lives in different hotels throughout the world. She probably feels a lot safer that way.

Kate Hudson is shown on the set of “Bride Wars” in NY on 3/31/08, thanks to PRPhotos.

Lindsay Lohan stars in the universally-panned Chapter 27 as a fictional girl next door character who inexplicably befriends John Lennon’s assassin, Mark David Chapman, in the days before the obsessed fan shot the beloved musician in 1980 outside his NY apartment. The real Chapman has been in Attica State Prison since 1981 and has become an evangelical Christian. He is serving 20 years to life and says if he ever gets out he wants to travel around and preach the word of God. He seems to have another obsession in jail, too, and is said to have photos of Lohan all over his cell. He’s also been asking for permission to write Lohan and to have her visit him:

The man who killed late BEATLE JOHN LENNON has reportedly become obsessed with actress LINDSAY LOHAN - turning his cell into a shrine to the star.

Mark David Chapman, who has already served 27 years in jail for assassinating Lennon in 1980, has allegedly begged the Mean Girls star to visit him at Attica State Prison, New York.

The murderer has pictures of the troubled star, who plays his girlfriend Jude in the movie Chapter 27, plastered all over his walls at the prison, according to Ireland’s Sunday World newspaper.

A source at the prison tells the publication, “He has been pleading with the authorities to let him write to her and visit him. “He’s been turned down flat, but he won’t give up.”

Chapman, 52, who was diagnosed as psychotic and denied parole four times, is still considered so dangerous and at risk from other inmates, he is confined to a special unit at Attica.

[WENN via Hollywood.TV]

That’s super creepy and at least the guy is in jail and can’t do her any harm. Chapman isn’t the only inmate to have a thing for 21 year-old addict Lindsay. While her father was serving time for multiple charges he was said to have asked his fellow criminals to take photos of his daughter down from their lockers because it offended him. You can see how Lindsay would appeal to prisoners, since she seems to have a lot in common with the type of women they normally date.

That header is the real mugshot of Mark David Chapman, thanks to Wikipedia. Jared Leto sure got his look down for the part in Chapter 27, but it couldn’t make up for his acting or the bad script.

Uma Thurman’s parents and employees have been testifying this week in Manhattan State Supreme Court in the case against her stalker, Jack Jordan. Jordan is a diagnosed as schizophrenic with bipolar disorder who stalked and harassed Thurman and her family members from early 2005 – September 2007. He was arrested this past October. Both Thurman’s housekeeper Dorota Janas and former personal assistant Samara Koffler testified that Jordan would hang out on the stoop her Greenwich Village home, ring the doorbell multiple times a day, and leave creepy letters.

Thurman’s housekeeper Dorota Janas testified on the second day of Jack Jordan’s trial that he rang the bell at the actress’ Greenwich Village town house at least twice a day for at least 10 days last summer…Janas, testifying through a Polish interpreter, said she saw Jordan sitting on the front stoop a few days before another employee called police. Some time later, she retrieved a letter Jordan had left for Thurman on the stoop.

Samara Koffler, a film producer who was Thurman’s former personal assistant, testified that she returned from the Bahamas in August 2007 and saw the letter Janas had found. She read part of it in court. “Dear Uma,” Koffler read, “I love you completely. Unless rousted, I’ll spend the night in front of (Thurman’s address).” At another point, she read: “Ask your assistant to let me wait inside until you return. I feel afraid that if I see you with another man I’ll kill myself.”

Koffler said she told Thurman about the letter and called 911 and told police “an unstable man” was hanging around the house.

[From the Huffington Post]

Thurman’s parents Birgitte and Robert Thurman testified as well. They received multiple emails and phone calls from Jordan at their Woodstock, New York home – further indication of just how far Jordan was willing to go to be with Thurman.

Her father, Robert Thurman, said his reaction after reading e-mails from Jordan was to try to remember the FBI’s telephone number. He said in court Tuesday he was seeing Jordan for the first time.

Her mother, Birgitte “Nena” Thurman, testified that she believed Jordan “was someone who would benefit from medical attention.” She said the first time she spoke to the defendant was in 2005 when he called her home in Woodstock, N.Y., and told her that he “and my daughter had a predestination to be together.” She said he asked her to relay that message.

“I tried to assure him in no uncertain terms that this was just a fantasy and he was projecting,” Thurman said, and that her daughter had no interest in him.

[From the Huffington Post]

One of my friends works for the Manhattan D.A.’s office and sat in on the trial for a few hours on Monday morning. She said Jack Jordan wasn’t one of those visibly crazy people that gives you the chills just looking at him. He looks normal, like a guy you could pass on the street. No odd behaviors or anything in court. She also said that he carries a large backpack with him wherever he goes in the courthouse and the courtroom, which is unusual.

The defense’s arguments so far are just that Jordan is a guy in love. With a side of crazy. But apparently they’re focusing on the love, and saying he needs mental help but not jail time.

Here’s Uma before her taping of The Late Show with David Letterman on April 16. Images thanks to PR Photos.

I can’t imagine how much it must suck to have a stalker. You must constantly be worried, wondering if that crazy person has followed you, if they’re outside your house lurking in the shadows. It must be even worse if you’re a lesser-known celebrity or a normal person who can’t afford much security. Maybe you have one security guy who works part time and costs you a fortune, and your stalker will soon figure out when he’s off duty anyway.

80s pop star Debbie Gibson, who now prefers to be called Deborah, is still touring and singing. She has an act called “Pop Goes Broadway,” in which she sings hits like “Out of the Blue” and reprises some of her starring Broadway roles, including Cabaret and Chicago. She’s probably not making enough coin to hire an around the clock bodyguard. She has a Spanish stalker, Jorge Puigdollers, 44, who works as a cab driver and runs a fan club for her. He’s traveled to the US multiple times to pursue her, and has been to every concert she’s given since 2002.

Puigdollers has tried to get backstage at Gibson’s concerts, he’s followed her many times, and he’s tried to get into her hotel room. He left a note on Thursday for her under her door asking to meet her in El Paso, and on Sunday he showed up at the door of her house in LA. Gibson called the police and filed for an emergency restraining order that’s effective until Friday. She is seeking a longer term protective order and will have a hearing on May 28 for this case. Gibson says she’s in fear of her life.

Puigdollers is back in Spain, driving a cab and probably saving up for another trip to the states to stalk poor Gibson. He told the AP that he’s sorry and “I don’t want problems and I don’t want to bother her so much.”

Spring time must be stalker time, because John Cusack’s longterm stalker also showed up at his house a couple of weeks ago, throwing stuff over his bushes in a desperate attempt to contact him.

Deborah Gibson is shown at the premiere of Ricky Lake’s documentary “The Business of Being Born” on 1/14/08. She looks great. Thanks to PRPhotos for these pictures. Details from AP Article found on Huffingtonpost.

John Cusack’s rosacea-suffering stalker, Emily Leatherman, 33, will be tried on several counts that include felony stalking, violating a restraining order and petty theft. Leatherman was arrested outside of Cusack’s house on March 30 after she took a cab hoping to find the object of her delusions. She didn’t have enough money to pay the fare, and Cusack recognized her as the woman that’s been stalking him for over a year and called police.

She was held on $150,000 bail at the time, and since the woman didn’t have enough money to pay for a taxi I think it’s safe to assume she’s been in jail since.

In a restraining order filed last year, Cusack says Leatherman threw a bag containing rocks, screwdrivers and love letters over his fence.

Yesterday a judge ruled that Leatherman would stand trial for her crimes, and she could get up to four years in jail if she’s found guilty.

Since Leatherman is accused of petty theft, I wonder what she stole and if she got access to any of Cusack’s stuff. Given her very crude M.O., she probably just took some of Cusack’s mail and/or garbage.

The LA Times report on this story included pretty specific information on where Cusack lives, saying that police were called to “the 24000 block of Malibu Road.” While it’s possible that more Cusack stalkers will emerge like crazed gophers on his lawn, it’s more likely that 30-something women like me will just slow down when they’re driving down his street, choosing to take detours on their way home from dropping the kids off at school.

[Details from OK! Magazine]

I love stories of celebrity stalkers. They make you feel a little bit saner by comparison. So you spent three hours googling that guy you have a crush on. At least you didn’t send him six vials of your fingernail clippings. But I’m guessing celebrities don’t get quite the same level of comfort that their stalkers give me. And to be fair, they run the gamut from relatively benign to totally flipping crazy to murderous. On Friday Anderson Cooper filled in for Regis on “Live with Regis & Kelly.” In the opening banter, Anderson mentioned that he was renovating his apartment and had just gotten a call from the contractor. Apparently a woman who has been stalking him for over two years had just shown up at his apartment – with 6 bags in tow. She told the contractor that she was moving in. And was not joking.

Anderson is really generous in his description of the crazy lady. “I don’t know if stalking is the right word exactly… but emailing me aggressively for the last two years.” Talk about diplomacy. Most people would say something like, “Look there is this mentally deranged whack job who’s batshit crazy and stalking me.” The worst thing he said was, “So that was kind of creepy.” He also mentioned that he had no idea what his stalker looks like. Something tells me I should probably spend less time chilling around Columbus Circle hoping to run into Anderson Cooper for the next few weeks.

Former supermodel/reality star/talk show host Tyra Banks has definitely hit the big time- she even has her own extra-creepy stalker. Homeless nutjob Brady Green, who has been sending Tyra weird letters and packages and calling her for the last couple of months, actually started showing up at the studio where she tapes her talk show.

Cops finally busted the burly ex-con drifter Tuesday for allegedly stalking Banks from coast to coast, but he was released without bail - an act that has added to her anxiety.

Brady Green, 37, has hounded Banks with multiple letters and phone calls since early January, cops and prosecutors said.

He then started sending her flowers and showing up in person at her Los Angeles TV studio, they said.

The Dublin, Ga., native then took a bus to New York with the idea of visiting the studio where “The Tyra Banks Show” is taped. He arrived in the lobby at 4:23 p.m. on Tuesday, asking to speak to the former supermodel, the authorities said.

Green was carrying a large duffel bag stuffed with magazine write-ups about Banks and notes to himself about his various attempts to reach her, they said.

Cops were called to the scene, where Banks said she feared for her safety. Green was cleared from the premises.

But at 7:22 p.m., Green was back - sitting across the street in a window seat at a McDonald’s, drinking coffee and flipping through one of his magazines…

Green told police he was homeless, although he appeared clean and dressed in neat, casual clothing, they said. Cops arrested him in the restaurant and charged him with stalking, harassment and criminal trespass.

The next morning, Green appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court and pleaded not guilty to the charges. No bail was requested, despite Green not having provided a New York address. Judge Anthony Ferrara released him on his own recognizance - but issued an order of protection for Banks…

Staff at the Chelsea studio are worriedly anticipating Green’s return. “There’s no security at this building,” said a producer at 225 W. 26th St., where photos of Green were still being handed out on Friday with a warning to stay away from him. “It’s very scary.”

[From NY Post]

Yikes! I sure hope they’ve stepped up security at that building given the situation. I wonder if Tyra will do an episode on stalkers on her talk show now? Celebrity stalking has become a serious problem- as recent cases like Steven Spielberg’s and Catherine Zeta Jones’ have shown. John Lennon’s killer, Mark David Chapman, reportedly stalked him for months before shooting him dead in front of his home. And with instant access to celebrities’ favorite hangouts, it’s easier than ever for unstable people like this to track their victims.

Tyra Banks is shown at the Daytime Emmy Awards on 6/15/07, thanks to PRPhotos.

I’m pretty sure in Celebrity-land, having a stalker is a sign that you’ve arrived. Now of course you hope for one of your more benevolent varieties – the guy that carries around the telescope and night binoculars and somehow always manages to be in a window directly across from you. No one wants the guy who strangles you from behind – I mean yeah you’ve really made it, but your royalty checks will be going to your next of kin and that’s just not worth it. Conan O’Brian has finally made it. No he wasn’t actually successful before this, because only now does he have a stalker. And like the funny man that he is, Conan’s stalker is pretty funny too. Because he’s a priest. And not in some nutball offshoot cult. He works for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston.

A priest from Boston has been charged with stalking and harassing the talk show host Conan O’Brien, law enforcement officials said last night. The suspect, David Ajemian, was arrested on Friday when he tried to attend a taping of NBC’s “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” program at Rockefeller Center, the police said. The priest is being held in jail for a court-ordered psychiatric examination, and is due back in court tomorrow. Court papers quote from menacing postcards and letters — at least some written on a parish letterhead — that Father Ajemian is alleged to have sent to Mr. O’Brien’s home and television studio for more than a year. The letters continued even after the priest was asked to stop, law enforcement officials said.

A Feb. 20 letter said: “I’m told by some of those officious little usher people that you’re overbooked. Is this the way you treat your most dangerous fans? You owe me big-time, pal. I want a public confession before I even consider giving you absolution.” An April 26 letter, signed Padre, said, “I am not Seung Cho,” apparently alluding to the gunman at Virginia Tech. The letter continued: “Even if I did once look out on that dark and dreaded doorway on West 72 Street, remember Frank Costello once dodged a bullet in your building, and so can you.”

[From the New York Times]

Frank Costello was a gangster in the fifties. He was shot (but lived) in the lobby of the Majestic on West 72nd. It sounds like the New York Times only quoted part of the Ajemian’s sentence about absolution. Us Weekly reports that the entire sentence was, “I want a public confession before I ever consider giving you absolution - or a spot on your couch.” I don’t know much about stalkers – but this one seems really mad. I wonder what it is that Mr. Crazy wants a confession about? Not letting him into the theater? It seems doubtful that’s when the anger stalking. Ajemian says he has followed Conan’s career since the two attended Harvard. Creeeeeeeepy. He’s been put on leave by the Archdiocese, which seems like a pretty good idea. Do they have mental health screenings before you can become a priest? I know they’re kind of desperate these days, but come on! The guy has only been ordained since 2001. You’d think they would have started doing some mental health checks by then. Even though you don’t want to encourage a stalker, I really am curious what his beef is with Conan. And why he wants on his couch so badly.

Picture note by Jaybird: Here’s Conan at the Stand Up For Heroes A Benefit For The Bob Woodruff Family Foundation in New York last night. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Note by Celebitchy: Both Helen and JayBird covered this, so here’s Helen’s take on it, followed by JayBird.

Robert Furo was charged with residential burglary and remanded to jail on 100,000 dollar bail, after allegedly breaking into Cage’s oceanfront home in NewPort Beach, 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of here, said the local district attorney’s spokeswoman Farrah Emami.

“The defendant, Mr Furo, is accused of breaking into the home of the victim, Nicolas Cage … and wearing Mr. Cage’s jacket” early Monday, she said.

Inquirer.net

Nick escorted the intruder into his backyard, and when he got there he discovered the guy was wearing his jacket. It must have been a nice jacket. Nick Cage likes them action movies, so I’m guessing he’d have a really nice home entertainment unit, you might steal that first. Or even his cell phone. Or some cash you found lying around. Not so for this intruder, not when you can have a nice jacket instead.

The intruder will appear in court on 10th October. He’s listed his occupation as ‘tailor’, so either he’s not so crazy and recognises the amusement of stealing only a jacket, or it was really a very lovely jacket and he simply recognised that as part of his profession.

Written by Helen, JayBird’s version to follow

I’m sure being a celebrity isn’t all sweetness and light. I know we all would like to be famous, or at least rich, and most of the famous people we talk about here sought out their fame, and thus chose it, with all the good and the bad that comes with it. Still, there’s some freaky elements to deal with, like… stalkers! Now they say you’re no one in Hollywood until you have your very own stalker, and while it’s nice to know you’ve arrived, it’s probably not so nice to realize it when someone’s trying to slash your tires… or your throat. Nicolas Cage got a little bit of the weirdo action when he woke up on Monday morning to find a man in his house… wearing his coat. I gotta tell you, if I were to break in to a rich person’s house, trying on their clothes would not be my first order of business. Which makes me think this dude is likely crazy. Or just obsessed with couture who knows.

“Sweet dreams aren’t made of this. An Orange County man has since been arrested and charged with burglary after Nicolas Cage woke up early Monday morning to find the guy shuffling around his Newport Beach home. Cage reported seeing a strange male in his home to his community’s gate guard, who in turn called the cops.

“Newport Beach police told “E! News” that Robert Furo Jr. was wearing Cage’s jacket when the actor spotted him shortly before 1:30 a.m. The Oscar winner then escorted Furo outside, where officers took him into custody without incident a few moments later.

“Police said that there was no sign of forced entry and Furo didn’t give them, or Cage (minus the trauma factor) any trouble. The Ghost Rider star’s wife, Alice Kim, and their son Kal-El, who turns two on Wednesday, were also asleep in the house at the time.

“Furo pleaded not guilty to felony burglary Tuesday and is currently still behind bars. Bail was set at $100,000 and the defendant, who identified himself as a tailor, is due back in court for a pretrial hearing Oct. 10.”

[From E! News]

Well at least it sounds like this Robert Furo Jr was one of your nicer, better behaved crazies. There’s a sliding scale of crazy: the bottom being the guy who stands outside your house with binoculars, the second being the guy who walks inside, takes his pants off and sits on all your furniture, and the third being the guy that stabs you in the kidney. There is nothing between the pants-off guy and the stabbing guy. So considering that rule, it sounds like Cage’s crazy guy was right in the middle – the report doesn’t mention the sate of Furo’s underwear, so I’m going to assume it was around his ankles. I’m glad Nicolas Cage and his family are alright, though I’d recommend they purchase a top of the line steam upholstery cleaner, just to be safe.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Nicolas Cage is shown on the set of “National Treasure 2″ in London on 8/3/07. Thanks to PRPhotos.