People v. Jo CA1/2

BACKGROUND

The conduct giving rise to Jo’s conviction occurred over five years between 2017 and 2022, with much of the communication occurring via email. In July 2017, Jane Doe1 posted an online advertisement looking for a room to rent in Portland, Oregon; Jo responded. The two met at a coffee shop and talked for a few hours. Jo seemed “normal,” so Doe visited the

1 We refer to the complaining witness as Jane Doe to protect her

privacy. (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 8.90(b)(4).)

1 apartment. Shortly thereafter, Doe and her kitten moved into Jo’s apartment. After a few weeks of living together, Jo began giving Doe “more attention than [she] necessarily wanted,” hanging around Doe and staring at her “in uncomfortable ways.” When confronted, Jo admitted that he wanted to “date” Doe, and Doe explained that she was not interested. At one point, Doe brought a date back to the apartment. Jo “made it clear that he was very upset” and that Doe had “hurt his feelings.” Jo continued to “try to convince [Doe] to go on a date,” and Doe continued to object: “I made it very clear that I wasn’t interested and that he should drop the subject.” Jo repeatedly sent messages to Doe asking where she…