Halle Berry's Alleged Stalker Pleads Not Guilty, Trial Date Set

Monster's Ball star's trespasser to fight felony burglary and stalking charges

By Josh Grossberg, Claudia Rosenbaum Oct 31, 2011 7:45 PMTags
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That orange jumpsuit isn't a costume.

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 today 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, District Attorney Wendy Segall tells E! News.

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.

The thesp did not attend today's proceeding and her lawyer, Blair Berk, has refused to comment on the case.

Landin ordered Franco to return to court for a pretrial hearing on Nov. 28 and scheduled the trial to kick off on Dec. 20.

No doubt Halloween has been scary enough, but perhaps Halle might get an early Christmas gift instead?