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Jury acquits Ohio man of stalking Gwyneth Paltrow

Anthony McCartney
Associated Press
Gwyneth Paltrow signs her book 'It's all Good' on Feb 12, 2016 in Nashville.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A jury acquitted an Ohio man on Wednesday of stalking Gwyneth Paltrow after a trial in which the Oscar-winning movie star tearfully testified against him.

Prosecutors said Dante Soiu, 66, upset Paltrow by sending dozens of unsolicited letters and gifts in recent years.

The case against Soiu was the second in which he was accused of stalking the actress, but this time he walks free.

In the first case, the Columbus native was accused of sending lewd messages and sex toys to the actress and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. He was committed to a mental institution in the early 2000s but eventually was released.

The jury of six men and six women began deliberations on Tuesday in the latest case.

They heard from a variety of witnesses, including Paltrow who described the fear she felt after learning Soiu was writing to her again. She wept at one point when asked if she was afraid for the safety of her two children.

"I felt very upset by it. It defied logic, and I found it very, very upsetting," Paltrow said. "This was something I had been through a very long and traumatic experience with already."

One letter allegedly described Paltrow "bowing to death," a reference the actress found disturbing. In another, Soiu is accused of writing, "I have a goal: to marry Gwyneth Paltrow and take care of her."

Soiu also testified at the trial, telling jurors he was a changed man who continued to write to Paltrow because he wanted her forgiveness for his earlier lewd messages.

Jury foreman Ryan Austin said jurors found Paltrow and Soiu were credible witnesses, but the panel ultimately had doubts that Soiu intended to frighten the actress.

Austin, a civil attorney, said the jury thought Soiu's conduct was reprehensible, especially in light of the previous pornographic messages to the actress, but didn't amount to felony stalking.

None of Soiu's recent correspondence to Paltrow included lewd messages or sex toys.

Soiu's lawyer Lynda Westlund said her client was a Christian who was writing to Paltrow in an attempt to minister to her. The lawyer also noted Soiu hadn't recently traveled to try to meet Paltrow, as he did in 1999.

Soiu said he was looking to make amends with Paltrow and had abandoned his desire to marry her since his arrest.

"I was very lonely," Soiu said. "I wanted to have a pen pal."

He also said he never intended to scare the actress or physically harm her.

"I have no desire to hurt her feelings," Soiu testified. "I have no desire to harass her."

The recent batch of letters also described a pair of earrings he sent her in 2009 as a Christmas gift, some second-hand clothes and a Weight Watchers cookbook. He has also sent her religious books, and forwarded her letters that he sent to President Obama and actress Angelina Jolie.

Paltrow, 43, won an Oscar in 1999 for her role in Shakespeare in Love. She has two children with estranged husband Chris Martin, frontman of the band Coldplay.

There was no immediate comment from her or her representatives.

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