A man accused of stalking Ashanti says this all could have been avoided if only she had used Twitter’s “block” feature.
Devar Hurd, who was convicted in 2009 for sending X-rated images of himself to Ashanti’s mother and claims the images were meant for Ashanti, is charged with stalking and criminal contempt, among other similar charges, according to the New York Daily News.
Hurd is representing himself in his defense for the tweets and for a visit to Ashanti’s sister in violation of court orders, and he gave rambling opening statements, in which he said that he and Ashanti made “strong eye contact” at a concert in 2003 and that the “connection” led to “welcomed flirtation.” He claims all the messages he sent to Ashanti were “consensual.”
“I believe evidence will show me tweet (about) adult-to-adult consensual sex, lovemaking and emotional heartbreak with the same complainant,” Hurd said.
Concerning Ashanti’s Twitter account, Hurd said, “I am one of Ashanti’s 1.75 million Twitter followers — people that she allows to tweet her, retweet her or respond to her on the uncensored social media site designed just for that — socializing at your discretion.”
He went on to say, “I simply had non-violent, non-threatening written communication on a site made just for socializing,” and added, “She has the ability to stop me if she wants to — quick block button.”
But Assistant District Attorney Kathryn Werner says Hurd has been obsessed with Ashanti for years and has engaged in “a continuous pattern of stalking and harassment aimed at Ashanti Douglas and the members of her family.” In 2009, decade-long restraining orders were issued to Hurd in favor of Ashanti as well as her mother, sister, and father.
Tina Douglas, Ashanti’s mother, said the messages she received on Twitter made her “terrified of what might happen next.”