Guilty verdict in stalking of news anchor

A HAVERTOWN MAN with a knack for striking up short-lived relationships with women he introduced himself to on Facebook was found guilty yesterday of stalking and harassing CBS3 anchor Erika von Tiehl after she broke up with him in 2011.

John Hart, 39, a former law student, did not appear to react to the verdict by the Philadelphia jury of seven men and five women, which was announced after one hour of the jury's second day of deliberations.

But Hart scowled as the prosecutor argued that the stalking verdict should be graded as a felony because of Hart's earlier guilty plea in a Delaware County stalking case.

If Common Pleas Court Judge Gwendolyn N. Bright agrees, Hart could face significant prison time when he is sentenced Jan. 22.

Von Tiehl was not in court for the verdict. Neither was Laura Selvage, a Baltimore woman who testified about similar experiences with Hart earlier in 2011 after she broke off the relationship he initiated on Facebook.

The news anchor released a statement, saying: "After four years, it is a relief to put this behind me. I am grateful I have had the support in my life to see this case through to the end. It was important to me to speak up, not only for myself, but also for all of the women he has victimized in the past who didn't have their day in court."

Von Tiehl testified that she started receiving threatening anonymous text messages, her cellphone number was changed several times, and her cable and Internet services were cut off. Passwords to the news anchor's social-media accounts were also changed.

Hart has had several arrests and convictions for similar crimes. When he was arrested in 2011 for stalking von Tiehl, he was still on parole from a 2006 guilty plea to simple assault and stalking in Delaware County for which he was sentenced to 18 to 48 months in prison followed by five years' probation.

Assistant District Attorney Lauren Katona argued that the earlier guilty plea boosts the jury's stalking verdict from misdemeanor to third-degree felony.

Katona said a felony stalking conviction carries a prison term of 3 1/2 to seven years. The verdict would also count as a violation of Hart's probation in the 2006 case, exposing him to additional prison time.

Defense Attorney Jack McMahon said he was pleased that the jury acquitted Hart on four other counts: identity theft, possession of an instrument of crime - his cellphone and two computers - and two counts of using computers to disrupt communications services.

"This has certainly limited his exposure," McMahon said. "I'm pleased. That has to be considered something of a victory."

Katona called the verdicts on stalking and harassment "absolutely appropriate."

Von Tiehl could not be reached for comment.

Reached yesterday, Selvage thanked the jurors, saying: "I finally have some peace of mind and sense of security."

"Erika's win is a win for me and all the other women that had to cross paths with this monster," Selvage said. "I am looking forward to moving on with my life."

Hart was not tried on crimes involving Selvage because of a question of whether the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office had jurisdiction over crimes arguably committed in another state. Instead, Katona told the jury Selvage's testimony corroborated von Tiehl's allegations by showing a pattern of conduct by Hart.

The judge has set a hearing Nov. 23 to resolve the question of whether Hart should be tried for conduct involving Selvage.

Katona said jurors told her they were convinced by Selvage's testimony and similarities in the tone and syntax of messages received by the two women.

According to Katona, the jury acquittals were because of a lack of evidence on Hart's cellphone, laptop and desktop computers directly linking him to what she called a campaign of harassment that began one week after von Tiehl broke up with Hart in November 2011 and ended with Hart's arrest.

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