Halle Berry's Alleged Stalker Ordered to Stay Away from Her for 3 Years

A judge today ordered a Commerce man who had been arrested outside Halle Berry's home last month to stay at least 100 yards away from the Academy Award-winning actress and her daughter for the next three years.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Carol Goodson's order extends until Aug. 1, 2014. She had issued a temporary directive July 12, a day after police arrested Richard Franco on suspicion of climbing over a security gate to enter the grounds of Berry's Hollywood Hills home.

Neither the 44-year-old Berry nor Franco, who is currently in jail, were present during the hearing. In a sworn declaration, Berry described several times in which Franco, 27, allegedly entered her yard and at one point came close to following her into her kitchen.

Franco has been charged with a criminal count of stalking and one count of first-degree residential burglary related to his alleged break-in at a guesthouse on the actress' property.

Franco is on probation after pleading no contest in June to a misdemeanor battery count, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.

Berry is the only African-American to have won an Oscar for best actress, given for her performance in the 2001 film Monster's Ball.

—City News Service