Stalker to stand trial

CATHERINE Zeta-Jones’s alleged stalker must stand trial on 25 criminal counts against her, a judge ruled yesterday.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg ruled that Dawnette Knight, the woman accused of harassing Zeta-Jones, will face criminal charges once a date is set for her trial.

Although a date has not yet been set, the fact the trial is even happening is surely a relief for Zeta-Jones and her husband, Michael Douglas, after a circus-like evidentiary hearing to determine if there was indeed enough evidence to warrant a trial against Knight.

During the bizarre and lengthy preliminary hearing, Knight and her attorney tried in vain to sway the judge towards their side of the story. Knight’s lawyer, Richard Herman, has maintained that his client was no threat to Zeta-Jones.

However, prosecutors say Knight’s obsession with Douglas motivated her multiple death threats against the 35-year-old actress. Herman has said in the past that his client simply had a “girlish crush” on Douglas, and added that she was a “normal” girl.

But just last week, the judge and the court heard how Knight became a suspect after investigators learned that telephone death threats made toZeta-Jones came from Knight’s home.