Shawn Johnson Testifies In Stalker Trial

Olympic gold medal-winnng gymnast Shawn Johnson testified Thursday that she was so frightened of the “Looney Bird Johnson” on trial for savagely stalking her that she considered quitting Dancing With The Stars — which she would ultimately win as the youngest contestant in the contest’s history in 2009.

Shawn, 18, took the witness stand in the trial of Robert Michael O’Ryan, who was arrested on March 23, 2009 after climbing a fence around ABC’s Hollywood studios and telling security officers he was there to see her.

At the time, O’Ryan, 36, was in possession of two guns, a knife, plastic handcuffs, and a bulletproof vest in his car. Prosecutors argue that the troubled man traveled from his home Jacksonville, Florida by car to Los Angeles to meet Johnson, who he’d become obsessed with. He is charged with stalking, commercial burglary, and carrying a loaded firearm.

Johnson said the incident forced her to cancel appearances, change cars, travel with her agent, and she even considered quitting Dancing.

“To see that somebody had that much obsession, it really made me scared. We had thought about leaving the show and moving home if it was necessary,” she nervously told jurors. “We had kind of changed everything. I was told I couldn’t go shopping or basically to public places.”

O’Ryan has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.