In a not-so-happy Halloween for Halle Berry, the man accused of stalking the Hollywood star and sneaking into her home pleaded not guilty to felony burglary and stalking charges.
Now, with his case set for trial just before Christmas, the accused, Richard Franco, threatens to really dampen the actress’s holiday spirit.
Sporting an orange jumpsuit, handcuffs and full beard, Franco entered the plea before Judge Dennis Landin in Los Angeles Superior Court this morning, according to District Attorney Wendy Segall.
Franco has remained in custody ever since his July 11 arrest, after the Oscar winner’s private security guards caught him trespassing on her Hollywood Hills property in three separate incidents in as many days.
On one occasion, he broke into Berry’s guest house. He also scaled a private security wall and was caught spying on the actress through a kitchen door, prompting her to call the cops.
Fearing for her safety and that of her 3-year-old daughter, Nahla, Berry subsequently obtained a restraining order barring Franco from coming within 500 yards of her residence and her family or attempting to contact them.
Landin ordered Franco to return to court for a pretrial hearing on Nov. 28 and scheduled the trial to kick off on Dec. 20.
