A man facing accusations of appearing at the Hollywood Hills home of Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry for three consecutive days in July has been ordered to stand trial.
Richard Anthony Franco, 27, is charged with one count each of residential burglary and stalking.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Melissa N. Widdifield overruled a defense motion to dismiss the charges against Franco, who is currently being held in jail on $150,000 bail.
During the hearing, which featured testimony from a security guard employed by Berry and a Los Angeles police detective who spoke with the actress on July 12, Berry was not called to testify, one day after Franco’s arrest.
Detective John Gregozek of the LAPD informed the judge that Berry expressed fear for both her safety and that of her daughter.
‘She employed armed security to monitor her residence around the clock.’
According to Berry, she first noticed the intruder while she was in the kitchen with her manager on July 9. Her manager confronted him outside and told him to leave. The detective indicated that Berry saw him again the following day when she returned to the kitchen to grab a drink.
Gregozek noted, ‘She observed the defendant standing at the kitchen door,’ adding that Berry mentioned locking the deadbolt on the door and fleeing upstairs to call 911.
Moreover, the detective testified that Berry revealed to him the absence of a key that had been on a keychain attached to the door of a room used as her beauty salon, showing him a similar key and keychain recovered from Franco after his arrest.
Another witness for the prosecution, Joseph Vach, stated that while working as a contract guard at Berry’s residence on July 11, he saw a man he identified as Franco attempt to climb the fence, fall backward, and successfully clear the fence on his second attempt.
He mentioned that police were alerted, and Berry was informed to find a safe location.
According to the security guard, Berry was requested to step outside to identify Franco.
Vach testified that Franco was found with a notebook that contained Berry’s name.
During cross-examination, the security guard admitted that he did not know who had written in the notebook.
Franco, who has been prohibited from approaching within 500 yards of Berry and her residence, is scheduled to return to the downtown Los Angeles courthouse for arraignment on October 31.
by Lorelle Heath
