A jury found a man accused of stalking celeb mogul Kendall Jenner not guilty.
Although the jury did find Shavaughn McKenzie guilty of trespassing at Jenner’s home in the Hollywood Hills, he was acquitted of the stalking charge which Jenner herself testified towards in court during the seven-day trial.
The reality star's lawyers claimed that McKenzie stalked her for 15 months before finally being arrested for trespassing. However, his lawyers have claimed that McKenzie, who is mentally ill, posed no threat to Jenner.
“He’s harmless, he’s very reserved,” said June Osavio, McKenzie’s mother, outside the courthouse. “I just want the best for him. I hope I can take him back with me. I hope he’ll get the treatment he needs.”
Jenner said that McKenzie’s actions left her frightened. The 20-year-old model and half-sibling to the Kardashians said that she found McKenzie sitting outside her home and asked him to leave before recognizing him from two previous incidents at her residence.
“I’ve never been so scared in my life,” Jenner said in testimonies, claiming McKenzie had approached her Range Rover and began banging on the driver’s window.
“I wouldn't expect someone to be sitting on the side of the street,” she said. “I was crying, I was screaming, I was freaking out. I didn't know what his intentions were. I was freaking out. I was frightened for sure.”
Jenner’s family has been in the news recently for another criminal-related scare. Kim Kardashian was allegedly bound, gagged and locked in the bathroom during a home robbery of $11 million of jewelry in Paris. The family is now said to be taking issues such as cyber crime and personal security more seriously.
Jenner has been granted a lifetime restraining order against McKenzie. He faces up to six months in county jail but because he has already served 72 days and his misdemeanor is non-violent, his lawyers expect that he will be released by his Nov. 10 sentencing date.