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Guilty verdict Rajcevic convicted of stalking Hingis
Updated: Wednesday April 04, 2001 7:49 AM
MIAMI (AP) -- A man who said he fell in love with tennis star Martina Hingis and followed her to tournaments around the world despite her pleas to stay away has been convicted of stalking. Dubravko Rajcevic, a 46-year-old Croatian-born naval architect from Australia, was found guilty Tuesday of stalking and three counts of trespassing at the 2000 Ericsson Open near Miami. He faces up to four years in prison. Rajcevic initially showed no reaction when the verdict was read, then gave a half-smile. After the jury left the courtroom, Rajcevic blurted questions at Judge Kevin Emas. "Why no black people on my jury? All the black people were eliminated from my jury," Rajcevic said. The judge told him to discuss that with his lawyer, Frank Abrams. Emas granted Abrams' request for a psychologist to visit Rajcevic in jail before sentencing on April 12. But Rajcevic said he would not cooperate. "I don't need that type of help," Rajcevic said. "I need legal help, not psychological help." Earlier Tuesday, Rajcevic told jurors that he was convinced the 20-year-old Swiss player once loved him, but had probably found someone else while he was detained for the trial. "Yes, I believe she was in love with me, but I've been in jail for one year," Rajcevic said. "She's young, beautiful, famous. In one year, she's probably found someone else." Hingis, the top-ranked player in the world, was not in the courtroom Tuesday. The safety of tennis stars has taken on a higher profile since 1993, when a professed fan of Steffi Graf stabbed Monica Seles during a tournament in Germany. Psychologists who evaluated Rajcevic concluded he was delusional but mentally competent to stand trial. Rajcevic said he fell in love with Hingis after seeing her on television while at home in Australia in 1999, at about the same time he getting a divorce. He began sending her faxes and letters expressing his admiration for her and traveled to her home to deliver flowers. Prosecutor Christopher Calkin said Rajcevic followed Hingis around the world even though she and others repeatedly told him to stop. Under the law, he said one warning was enough. "It certainly does not require somebody to tell someone to stop for over a year," he said. Rajcevic said many people close to Hingis told him she didn't want a relationship with him, but he said he never heard that from her. Hingis testified just the opposite Monday, saying she told him in person and by phone to stay away. "I told him he should get out of my life, I didn't want to talk with him anymore, I wouldn't want to spend any time with him," Hingis testified about their face-to-face meeting through a fence after the 1999 French Open. Defense attorney Frank Abrams said Rajcevic never threatened Hingis and argued that his client was only trying to romance a woman beyond his reach. "The pursuit, no matter how implausible, cannot be punished," he said. Rajcevic has claimed he is close friends with former U.S. President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former Attorney General Janet Reno and FBI Director Louis Freeh. Rajcevic said he was glad Clinton didn't pardon him when he left office because it was important that at least one person "very close to Mr. Clinton" did not receive a pardon.
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