Spielberg Stalker Gets 25-year-to-life Sentence Spielberg Stalker Gets 25-year-to-life Sentence / Director's Plea Helps Bring Maximum Term

A man convicted of stalking Steven Spielberg was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison Wednesday after a judge in Santa Monica rejected pleas for mercy and the director said he would live in fear if the defendant wasn't put behind bars.

Calling Jonathan Norman "obsessive and frightening," Superior Court Judge Steven Suzukawa said Norman presents "a danger to society" and handed down the maximum sentence in the "three strikes" case as requested by Spielberg.

Norman was found guilty in a bizarre plot to invade Spielberg's Pacific Palisades home, hold him and his family hostage and rape the director last summer. Spielberg and his family were in Europe at the time.

"Had Jonathan Norman actually confronted me, I genuinely in my heart of hearts believe that I would have been raped or maimed or killed," Spielberg told the judge.

The director said he came to court as a father, husband, son and "victim of a predatory crime." He said he believes he remains a target of the defendant's obsession.

"So your honor, I'm here today because the prospect that Jonathan Norman might have another chance to carry out his intent is beyond frightening to me," Spielberg said.

"As I testified at trial ... I was and still am fearful of Mr. Norman."

Spielberg left quickly after speaking and was not present when the judge handed down the punishment. Norman, 31, showed no reaction.

The director later said in a written statement that the sentence "is a relief to me, my family and all those close and dear to us."

The judge earlier denied a defense motion for a new trial.

"Your honor, at this point, we are essentially seeking the mercy of this court," said Norman's attorney, Charles Kreindler.

Kreindler asked that Norman's case not be considered a "three strikes" case, which increases penalties for repeat offenders. He argued that the previous two strikes stem from the same incident -- when Norman was convicted of plowing a vehicle into pedestrians crossing a street and punching two of them.