opinion
An alleged stalker of liberal singer Taylor Swift was arrested outside her home in Democratic-run New York City, less than an hour after two other defendants linked to the stalking of liberal singer Taylor Swift were released on bail by a Manhattan judge. Singer “Anti Hero”.
Swift's stalker arrested
David Crowe, 33, was arrested around 1:35 pm on Wednesday after he was seen searching in a dumpster across the street from Swift's home in Tribeca, the New York Post reported.
An NYPD source told the Daily Mail: “Officers were contacted by several complainants who referred to an emotionally disturbed man acting erratically at the scene.” “Once officers noticed the man harassing multiple complainants, they took him into custody without further incident, and no injuries were reported.”
Crowe had to confine her there during his appearance in Manhattan Criminal Court, where prosecutors told the judge that he had staked Swift's apartment 30 times over the past two months.
“I just saw him digging through this dumpster, getting some blankets out and then he went and sat on the loading dock a few doors down.” [from Swift’s apartment]said a neighbor who did not want to be identified, adding that she was “terrified” that Crowe would return to the area.
“My heart dropped,” the neighbor continued. “I just thought, 'Oh my God, I can't believe this guy is back! I just want to never see this person again. I hope he gets the help he needs, but he needs to leave our little street alone.'
“It's been there since Christmas time,” the neighbor added. “The first time we saw him, he was sleeping on our stoop or the neighbors stoop and smoking constantly.”
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Crowe has been spotted near Swift's home several times
The neighbor went on to say that she saw Crowe over the weekend, when he was arrested Saturday night near Swift's door. He was quickly released because police did not have a complaint report or proof that he actually committed a crime, according to law enforcement sources.
Crowe was seen near Swift's house again on Monday night, and this time he was charged with fourth-degree stalking, a misdemeanor, and two counts of harassment. Because those charges were not eligible for bail, prosecutors instead requested the highest possible level and level of supervised release during his arraignment Wednesday.
Legal experts were surprised that Crowe did not face higher charges the second time he was arrested, because that would have allowed Judge Marisol Martinez Alonso to hold him without bail.
“New York’s criminal stalking laws require a showing of repeated convictions or the use of a weapon against the victim, which is very high,” criminal defense attorney Jason Goldman explained.
“At the same time, by having such stringent requirements, our law virtually waits for a potentially deadly crime to be carried out, rather than an effective ‘preventive anti-stalking’ law that would make Taylor and others safer,” Goldman continued. “Mr. Crowe is precisely the type of person and type of scenario for which stalking laws were created, so we do not have another Rebecca Schaeffer on our hands.
Schiffer was a TV star who was tragically shot and killed by her stalker in 1989.
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Welcome to Soft-On-Crime New York
Assistant Prosecutor Harriet Jeranek said in court that Crowe visited Swift's home several times, even stopping neighbors to ask where she was.
“He keeps saying he's there to see Taylor Swift,” Jeranek said. “He said this to the neighbors and asked where she was.”
Sources claimed that although Crowe was described as “emotionally disturbed”, this was not enough to keep him locked up.
“New York has had a catch-and-release program for years, and people only notice it now because it's Taylor Swift,” one officer lamented.
While it's unclear if Swift was home on Wednesday, she was in upstate New York on Sunday to cheer on boyfriend Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs during their playoff game against the Buffalo Bills.
Swift has long been known for her strong liberal views, but perhaps this experience of having her stalker repeatedly let loose to continue targeting her will prompt her to rethink voting for a soft-on-crime Democrat. Until New York City's liberal laws change, Swift shouldn't expect to stop Crowe anytime soon.
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