Diana Napolis
Diana Louisa Napolis | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Nationality |  American |
| Known for | Celebrity stalking regarding satanic cults and mind control |
Diana Louisa Napolis,[1] also known by her on-line pseudonym Karen Curio Jones[2] or more often simply Curio,[3] is an American former social worker who harassed individuals she believed connected to satanic ritual abuse allegations. Napolis was also charged with stalking film director Steven Speilberg and making death threats against Jennifer Love-Hewitt.[4]
Satanic ritual abuse harassment
Napolis originally worked as a child protection worker for nearly ten years (leaving the position in 1996), becoming involved in the satanic ritual abuse (SRA) allegations that arose in the early 1980s. Napolis believed the phenomenon was true and that those who had discredited the phenomenon were themselves child abusers and engaged in a conspiracy to deconceal their activities from the public.[3] Posting under the screen name "Curio", Napolis began a pattern of harassment against those she believed were involved in the conspiracy. Among those she targeted were Carol Hopkins, a school administrator who was part of a grand jury in San Diego, California that criticized social workers for removing children from their home without reason; Elizabeth Loftus, a professor who studied memory who believed coercive questioning techniques by poorly-trained investigators led to young children making false allegations of child sexual abuse; and Michael Aquino, openly a member of the Satanic church and a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army Reserve against whom accusations of SRA were made but dropped as the accusations proved to be impossible.[3][5] Using public computers in internet cafes and libraries, Napolis concealed her identity for five years while continuing to post information on-line about those she believed involved in the conspiracy. In 2000, Napolis was tracked and caught by Michelle Devereaux and the San Diego State University police posting information as Curio on-line. No charges were filed, but by revealing her identity those Napolis had harassed ceased to consider her a serious threat.[3] The story was reported in The San Diego Union-Tribune,[2] which was added to her on-line list of harrassing parties.[4]
Celebrity stalking
Steven Spielberg
In the fall of 2001, Steven Spielberg filed a restraining order against Napolis after she made harassing telephone calls to the director. Napolis claimed Spielberg and his wife were part of a satanic cult operating out of his basement that had implanted a microchip called "soulcatcher" in her brain, an accusation to which Spielberg replied "To state the obvious, I am not involved with any form of manipulating Ms. Napolis's mind or body through remote technology or otherwise." Spielberg also expressed concern for the safety and security of his family.[1] His security team indicated they believed Napolis to be suffering from a delusional disorder and posed "a serious risk of violent confrontation". The judge ruled Napolis was barred from approaching within 150 meters of Spielberg and believed her to be a "credible threat" to the director.[6]
Jennifer Love Hewitt
On September 18th, 2002, Napolis "verbally confronted" Jennifer Love Hewitt while entering the 2002 Grammy Awards, and the subsequent day attempted to pose as a friend of the actress to enter the premiere of The Tuxedo. On October 10th Napolis again tried to confront Love Hewitt, at a filming, and e-mailed several death threats to the actress later that month.[4] In December, 2002, Napolis was arrested for stalking and making death threats against Jennifer Love Hewitt charged with six felonies,[5] held in San Diego County Jail on a $500,000 bail.[4] At her hearing, Napolis also admitted to becoming involved in a shoving match with Love Hewitt's mother while confronting the actress.[4] Napolis accused the actress and Spielberg of being part of a satanic conspiracy and using mind controlling "cybertronic" technology to manipulate her body. Napolis was committed to Patton State Hospital in 2003 for three years or until fit to stand trial.[3]
After nearly a year in jail, Napolis pleaded guilty to stalking on September 29th, 2003, receiving five years probation as well as requirements to enroll in a counseling program, surrender all weapons and firearms, abstain from drugs and alcohol and refrain from using computers. Napolis was also barred from any contact with Spielberg, Hewitt and their families for ten years and was required by the judge to continue taking prescribed medication.[7]
Footnotes
- ^ a b MacKenzie, D (2002-10-20). "Spielberg Stalker in Mind-Bug Game". Sunday Mirror. p. 16.
- ^ a b Sauer, M (2000-09-24). "A Web of Intrigue: The search for Curio leads cybersleuths down a twisted path". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
- ^ a b c d e Bocij, Paul (2004). Cyberstalking: harrassment in the Internet age and how to protect your family. New York: Praeger Publishers. pp. 33–34. ISBN 0-275-98118-5. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
- ^ a b c d e Sauer, M (2002-12-31). "Stalking suspect to undergo more psychological tests". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
- ^ a b De Young, Mary (2004). The day care ritual abuse moral panic. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland. pp. 234–5. ISBN 0-7864-1830-3. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
- ^ "Spielberg wins order banning cult stalker". The Australian. 2002-10-23. p. 12.
- ^ "Woman Who Stalked Actress Sentenced to Probation, Mental Health Counseling". City News Service. 2003-11-05.
External links
- Diana Napolis' homepage
- Statement by Napolis in People v. Napolis
- Michael Aquino response in Napolis v. Aquino et. al.(2008).