Iowa City man appeals conviction in stalking case

An Iowa City man who was convicted of stalking and harassing his ex-girlfriend for two years has been granted a hearing by the Iowa Court of Appeals to determine if he was competent to represent himself during his trial.

Daniel Jason is also challenging the district court's decision to run the sentences for stalking and tampering with a witness consecutively. The appeals court ruling supports Jason's position, and has ordered that portion of his sentencing to be vacated.

If the district court determines Jason wasn't competent to stand trial, it can grant a new trial, according to the ruling. If the court determines he was competent, it must provide reasons why the sentence should be run consecutively, the ruling states.

Jason was convicted in 2007, and he represented himself during the trial. He had been diagnosed with Ausperger's syndrome, but a psychologist nonetheless testified he was competent to stand trial. The court also repeatedly advised and warned Jason of the dangers in self-representation.

Before the trial, Jason had a history of harassing his ex-girlfriend, Cynthia Courter, since 2006, according to the appeal. The harassment started after Courter broke up with Jason. The two started dating in 2005 while they were students at the University of Iowa.

Jason started emailing, calling and texting Courter hundreds of times a day, according to the appeal. She repeatedly told him she didn't want to have contact with him.

At one point in 2006, Jason threatened to commit suicide if Courter wouldn't see him and then he showed up at her dorm, the appeal says. Courter called campus police, but Jason returned to her dorm after he was released from custody.

Jason continued unwanted calls, emails and showed up in person to see her a few times, the ruling says. He was arrested after one incident when he grabbed Courter and attempted to drag her away.

Jason was charged with assault and three counts of harassment in 2006. He was convicted in 2007 on those charges after many more incidents and sentenced to 120 days in jail. That sentence was suspended and a no-contact order was extended for five years. Jason violated the order by sending Courter emails a few days after the sentencing, according to the ruling.

Jason continued the harassment with sexually graphic and threatening emails. He was arrested and charged again later in 2007 with felony stalking and misdemeanor tampering with a witness.