The man accused of stalking an Olympic gold medalist from Iowa says he’s not guilty because he’s insane. Robert O’Ryan was arrested in March 2009 after driving cross country from his home in Florida to California. He was caught by security jumping a fence at a Los Angeles TV studio where Shawn Johnson was performing on “Dancing With the Stars.”
Johnson of West Des Moines, was 17 at the time and had won gold in gymnastics at the 2008 summer Olympics. The 36-year-old O’Ryan had expressed a desire to marry Johnson. Authorities say they found two guns, duct tape and love letters to Johnson in O’Ryan’s car. He’s scheduled to go on trial Tuesday on felony burglary and stalking charges that could carry a sentence of four years in prison.
O’Ryan told a judge today (Monday) he wanted to enter an insanity plea. The judge warned O’Ryan that if he is found to be insane, he could be confined to a state mental hospital for much longer than four years.