A man once briefly married to Britney Spears who showed up uninvited at the pop star’s wedding to long-time boyfriend Sam Asghari was charged on Monday with felony stalking.
Jason Alexander, 40, pleaded not guilty in Ventura County court to the charge, along with misdemeanour counts of trespassing, vandalism and battery.
The three misdemeanour charges stemmed directly from Alexander’s attempt to get into the wedding, which he live-streamed on Instagram. The stalking charge involved repeated incidents over time, Spears attorney Mathew Rosengart said.
“He’s going to — I hope, and I pledged my support — be very vigorously prosecuted,” Rosengart said outside the hearing. “It’s a very serious matter. This was more than just a quote ‘wedding crash’. This was an intrusion.”
A judge issued a restraining order requiring Alexander, who appeared in court via video conference from jail, to stay at least 100 yards (90 metres) from Spears for three years. The judge set bail at $100,000 and scheduled a hearing for the issue on Wednesday.
An email seeking comment from his public defender Matthew Terry was not immediately returned.
Alexander was Spears’s first husband. The two were married for less than three days in 2004 before an annulment.
Spears, 40, and her Iranian husband Asghari, 28, were married on Thursday at her home in Thousand Oaks, California, in front of several dozen guests including Selena Gomez, Drew Barrymore, Paris Hilton and Madonna.
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Britney Spears's home in Thousand Oaks, California. All photos: Engel & Volkers -
The property sits on the top of a hill. -
A statement chandelier hangs in the kitchen. -
The house has an infinity pool and spa. -
The home is designed in Italian neoclassical style. -
The property's expansive views. -
The wood-panelled library. -
The gated property sits within the exclusive White Stallion Estates community. -
One of the living rooms. -
The entrance foyer. -
The lavish and leafy gardens.
Alexander, who was a childhood friend of Spears, was streaming live on Instagram when he approached the house. He appeared in a mostly empty but decorated room, telling security Spears had invited him.
Deputies responding to a trespassing call detained him, and he was arrested when they learnt he had a warrant for his arrest in another county, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said.
Spears was previously married from 2004 to 2007 to Kevin Federline, with whom she has two sons, aged 15 and 16.
She met Asghari in 2016 on the set of the video for her song Slumber Party.
Their wedding came nine months after Spears and Asghari were engaged, and nearly seven months after Spears won her freedom from a court conservatorship that controlled her life and affairs for more than 12 years.
Spears posted about the nuptials on her Instagram and Twitter accounts the next day.
“WE DID IT !!! WE GOT MARRIED !!! Gggggeeeeezzzzz !!! It was the most spectacular day !!!” Spears said in the posts along with a picture of her and Asghari from the wedding. “The ceremony was a dream and the party was even better !!!”
Scroll through gallery below to see Britney Spears fans celebrate the end of her conservatorship
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Supporters of singer Britney Spears celebrate outside the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Los Angeles as Spears's conservatorship is terminated. Reuters -
Britney Spears supporter Phoebe Price and her dog Henry take pictures next to a 'Free Britney' Christmas tree set by fans outside the courthouse. AP -
For the first time in 13 years, Britney Spears will be able to choose how she spends her fortune, estimated to be worth more than $60 million. AP -
Confetti falls on Britney Spears supporters outside the courthouse. AP -
Spears supporters march on Grand Avenue during the hearing. AP -
Under the conservatorship imposed since 2008, Spears had no control over her how she spent her money, when she performed, who had access to her house and even what medications she should take. AP -
Spears herself posted an Instagram with the #FreedBritney hashtag shortly after the court decision. 'Good God, I love my fans so much it's crazy,' she said. AP -
New Jersey performer and Britney Spears supporter Brennyboombox cheers Matthew Rosengart, Britney Spears's lawyer, as they celebrate outside the courthouse. AP -
Matthew Rosengart, Britney Spears's lawyer,, talks to the media after the hearing. AP -
'Effective today, the conservatorship of the person and the estate of Britney Jean Spears is hereby terminated,' Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny said after a 30-minute hearing in which no one opposed ending the court-sanctioned arrangement. AP -
Britney Spears supporter Felipe Servat, from Brazil, reacts with the the crowd as they celebrate. AP -
The conservatorship was set up and overseen by Britney's father, Jamie Spears, after she had a public breakdown in 2007 and was hospitalised for undisclosed mental health issues. AP -
Lauriann Wright, the lawyer for Jodi Montgomery, who had been entrusted with overseeing Spears's personal life, told the judge there was 'no reason this termination cannot happen and Ms Spears cannot live a safe, happy and fulfilling life'. AP -
Spears's case helped prompt hearings in the US Congress and a new law in California aimed at preventing abusive conservatorships, which are normally set up to protect disabled people, the elderly or those suffering from dementia. AP -
In June, Spears told the court she had been humiliated and traumatised and that she wanted her life back. EPA -
Spears's lawyer Rosengart said a 'safety net' had been put in place to help Spears transition back to regular life. AP -
Since revealing years of private anguish in tearful testimony in June, Spears hired Rosengart, who moved aggressively to end the restrictions. AP -
Filipe Servat and Lindsey Fairchild embrace upon hearing the news that Britney Spears's conservatorship has been terminated. EPA -
Spears's lawyer Rosengart is pushing for Jamie Spears to be investigated for possible financial mismanagement of his daughter's affairs, but he said on Friday it would be up to Britney Spears to decide how to proceed on that matter. EPA -
Spears had said she had been forced to work and take medication against her will and was prevented from marrying or even getting her hair done. AFP -
A Britney Spears doll sits atop a 'Free Britney' Christmas tree during a rally outside the courthouse. EPA -
Lexi Tonniges and Lauren Grundmann are joined by other dancers as they perform on a stage outside the LA courthouse. EPA -
Jamie Spears has said through lawyers that he helped his daughter rehabilitate her career and always acted in her best interest. AFP -
Jubilation erupted outside the courthouse, with fans cheering and shouting after the decision was announced. The crowd chanted 'Britney! Britney! Britney!' and fans sang and danced to Spears’ song 'Stronger'. Reuters -
The judge’s move was widely expected, with little support left for prolonging the legal arrangement. No new arguments were offered at the 30-minute hearing. Spears did not attend. Reuters -
Spears’s lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, told fans and reporters that the case 'helped shine a light on conservatorships and guardianships from coast to coast, from California to New York. And that took a tremendous amount of insight, courage and grace'. Reuters -
Supporters decorate a pink Christmas tree outside the courthouse. Reuters -
Alexandra Foertschbeck holds a 'Free Britney' flag during at the rally. EPA -
Twins Edward and John Grimes of Dublin, Ireland, with a 'Free Britney' flag outside the courthouse. AP -
Supporter Rafael Lopez, of Tijuana, Mexico, waves a 'Free Britney' flag. AP
