Remember Andrew Shirvell, the former Michigan Assistant Attorney General who was fired from his job after obsessively stalking and harassing 21-year-old Chris Armstrong, the University of Michigan’s openly gay student body president? Shirvell, who now lives on Long Island, started a blog called “Chris Armstrong Watch” that was devoted exclusively to tormenting Armstrong, calling him “Satan’s representative” who promoted a “radical homosexual agenda,” a “racist,” a “privileged pervert,” and a “liar,” publishing a photograph of Armstrong on which the attorney had superimposed a swastika on a rainbow flag, spreading false allegations of binge drinking and improper conduct on school grounds, and — creepiest of all — showing up outside Armstrong’s home, once at 1:30am. He was fired after an internal investigation at the Attorney General’s office revealed that he “repeatedly violated office policies, engaged in borderline stalking behavior and inappropriately used state resources.”
Well, unsurprisingly, Armstrong filed suit against Shirvell in federal court for defamation. Jury selection began earlier this week in Detroit. The Associated Press reports that Armstrong’s attorney offered to drop the charges if Shirvell simply apologized, but he refused. His trial begins Tuesday.
