I call shenanigans!

I would normally have more to say about a beautiful Stella Award winner but I truly believe that this is explanation enough that things have gotten out of control. This black and white mentality that either threatens to or currently is polarizing this country has led a judge to be absurd, a mentally ill woman to threaten to break talk show hosts' legs in a court of law and get away with it. Bullocks to the whole business...

Dating back to his days at NBC, before he moved to CBS in 1993, late-night talk show host David Letterman was plagued by a persistent stalker.Margaret Mary Ray became the subject of headlines and the brunt of morethan a few jokes with her activities over the course of a decade, whichincluded breaking into Letterman's Connecticut home, stealing his car andintroducing herself to a highway toll-taker as his wife.

Before she knelt in front of an oncoming train in western Colorado in1998 to end her life, she had spent 10 months in prison and 14 months ina mental institution for stalking Letterman -- and had moved on tostalking astronaut Story Musgrave.

Colleen Nestler, too, fantasizes a special connection with Letterman.In December 2005, though, that imaginary relationship soured, at least inher mind. Nestler, 59, sought a temporary restraining order, contendingthat Letterman harmed her with "bankruptcy [sic], mental cruelty andsleep deprivation" continuously since 1994, a period during which shelived in New Jersey, Brooklyn, N.Y., Camden, Maine, and finally Santa Fe,N.M.

She checked off options on a form filed in New Mexico's First JudicialDistrict Court in Santa Fe to request that the TV personality be requiredto stay "at least 3 yards away" from her; not "threaten, harm, alarm orannoy" her or her family members; not block her in public places; and not(image placeholder)phone or contact her.

She additionally requested in her own handwriting that Letterman beordered not to "Think of me, and RELEASE ME from his mental harassment &hammering" (her emphasis).

The relationship she has concocted in her mind did not involvedelusions of phone calls or encounters in the physical world. It involvesmessages she contends Letterman communicated to her in code via his showafter he moved from NBC to CBS in 1993 to host "The Late Show With DavidLetterman" -- coded messages he sent to her, she said in her courtfiling, during every single show.

Among those "messages" she claims Letterman conveyed was a proposal ofmarriage when Letterman uttered, during a teaser for his show, "Marry me,Oprah" -- referring to her by "the first of many code names," inNestler's mind, rather than referring to daytime talk show host OprahWinfrey.

In a six-page, typewritten chronology of their "relationship," which,as she relates it, began when she was married and living in Nevada,Nestler holds Letterman responsible as the "root cause" of her slide intobankruptcy. She contends Letterman used words, "jestures" and "eyeexpressions" -- and even the songs of guests on his show -- to send hermessages and respond to her, and to urge her to train as his co-host. Shefurther describes following Letterman's coded instructions, includingstaying awake through the night to watch other TV shows at his behest andmoving to New York, only to receive the brush-off when he did not contacther at her hotel room or take her when he went on a Caribbean vacation.

Her story also ensnares Regis Philbin, Kathie Lee Gifford and"Frasier" star Kelsey Grammer, all of whom, she writes, also communicatedwith her through the TV and knew of her "relationship" with Letterman.

(image placeholder)But while Ray's delusions got her incarcerated, the judge in Nestler'scase has taken a different approach. Rather than do anything to try todiscourage her and thereby protect Letterman from yet another stalker, Judge Daniel Sanchez instead affirmed her delusions by granting herrequest and issuing a restraining order.

Sanchez signed the order prohibiting Letterman from contacting her andrequiring him to stay away from her -- all of which, no doubt, Lettermanwould have no difficulty abiding by. The judge also directed the TV starto appear for a hearing later on whether to make the restraining orderpermanent, although Sanchez granted a motion by Letterman's attorneys foran expedited hearing.

Letterman's lawyers, understandably, want to quash the restrainingorder. Jim Jackoway, his Los Angeles attorney, calls the charges inNestler's complaint "obviously absurd and frivolous" and "an unfortunateabuse of the judicial process."

"While Ms. Nestler may deserve compassion and assistance, allowing herto bring claims against Mr. Letterman is not in her interests or theinterests of justice," Letterman's attorneys said in their motionchallenging the restraining order. "Celebrities deserve protection oftheir reputation and legal rights when the occasional fan becomesdangerous or deluded."

The judge's move also has concerned at least one advocate for thementally ill.

Ginny Wilson, a Santa Fe representative for the National Alliance forthe Mentally Ill, won't criticize Sanchez, but says she wants to use thissituation as an opportunity to educate people about the signs ofpsychological problems. She calls Nestler's application "fantastical."

"It's obvious in [the] story that the judge has made a mistake," shesays. "And [now] other judges or lawyers can see that a lapse in judgment(image placeholder)can put a person in a public situation that could be dangerous for her.Maybe it will help a judge to recognize when a mentally ill person isattacking an organization or an individual out of their delusions."

Sanchez says he doesn't sign every temporary restraining order thatcomes before him, but will sign one when it's warranted.

"If they make a proper pleading, then I grant it," he said.

Perhaps, then, the judge has some delusions of his own.

In a follow-up hearing, Nestler said in court that "Should [Letterman] ever come to New Mexico -- and let it be recorded in this court -- if hecomes near me or sends someone on his behalf, I will break their legs andestablish proof of my story."

"Break their legs?" asked a shocked Judge Sanchez, finally waking up.

"Yes, I will," Nestler said. "It's the only recourse I have fortangible proof." Told to not make threats in court, Nestler continued,"It's not a threat. I'm saying it mainly because I want the court to knowI tried to avoid this. The man has plans to include me in his plans, andI refuse."

A plan to include her in his plans? Now that's planning!

"Who's to stop him from taking a flight here?" she continued. "Who'sto stop him from dressing up in some disguise? He has intentions with me.He constantly harasses me. He's a very powerful man. He's into mindcontrol. He's into control and manipulation."

Has he ever contacted her? Sanchez asked.


"He has called just to remind me to think of him by calling andhanging up," she said. "It's a trick he's done. He will use any device athis hand that's subtle and undetectable by any court of law."

With that, Sanchez had finally had enough and voided his previous(image placeholder)restraining order. It was in force for about two weeks.

2 freakin' weeks? A judge gave that woman restraining order? That's why I gotta call shenanigans, there is no way some judge would be that stupid. Seriously, say that people are getting dumber but that takes the cake and shares none with others. I say that there is something more sinister going on and I refuse to point fingers until I know for sure, but I might just have to devote more time to it. I think one of the causes is most likely disillusionment coupled with misdirection. Any ideas just let me know, but don't worry we can get through this mismanagement of humanity, just as we have countless times before.