CNN Star Anderson Cooper Stalked: Man Sentenced to Prison for Terrifying Incidents
A Manhattan man has been sentenced to 30 days in prison for stalking CNN star Anderson Cooper. Gerald Hurt, 52, repeatedly appeared at Cooper’s doorstep between August and December 2022, attempting to barge into the house. Despite Cooper obtaining a restraining order, Hurt disregarded it, resulting in his charges of stalking, menacing, trespassing, and criminal contempt for violating the restraining order. The court also issued a five-year restraining order against Hurt, ensuring Cooper’s safety.
This is not the first time Cooper has faced such terrifying incidents. In 2014, a schizophrenic Queens man named Alex Hausner was found guilty of terrorizing the news anchor for six years. Claiming to be in love with Cooper, Hausner received a year of psychiatric treatment and five years of probation as a result.
The series of events involving Hurt began on August 21, 2022, when he arrived at Cooper’s West Village home and insisted he had a package for the journalist. Despite being repeatedly asked to leave, Hurt started screaming and approached the door aggressively. A month later, on September 21, 2022, Hurt returned and physically pushed against the front door, trying to grab Cooper.
On November 16, 2022, Hurt appeared on the doorstep once again, claiming to be there to see Cooper. This time, it was Cooper’s partner, Benjamin Maisani, who confronted him and demanded he leave. Hurt even provided his phone number to be passed on to Cooper. Finally, on a December evening, Hurt returned and disregarded the restraining order, claiming it was fake. He was subsequently arrested on December 15.
Cooper, a renowned journalist and TV personality, has not publicly addressed these incidents. It is evident that he has faced multiple instances of stalking and harassment, necessitating legal action to ensure his safety.
