Sunny Hostin, the co-host of ABC’s “The View,” is facing backlash for appearing to use her position as a celebrity and former federal prosecutor to try to save her son from a police charge.
Hostin’s son, 24-year-old Gabriel Hostin, was briefly arrested June 16 in New Rochelle — a city about 17 miles from New York City. Officers spotted Gabriel “on the right-of-way of the active railroad tracks, in violation of the posted no trespassing signs,” according to court records obtained by the New York Post.
Immediately after being handcuffed, Gabriel asked if he could call his mother and have the police talk to her. The police agreed.
Bodycam footage received by the New York Post shows Sunny using her position as a former federal prosecutor and her son’s background as a Harvard graduate and elementary teacher to try to get the charge dropped.
When Sunny got on the phone, one police officer explained the nature of the incident.
“Besides being illegal, it’s actually very dangerous for him to be around the railroad tracks. We get people who get hit all the time,” one police officer, identified as Officer Gomez, stated.
“That’s my son. He’s a Harvard graduate. He’s not a criminal. He has no criminal record, no criminal history,” Sunny replied over the phone.
The officer replied that police had changed the charge from the usual criminal misdemeanor to a violation. “There’s nothing on his record, and he’s been very cooperative with us. But as of right now, we will have to issue him an appearance ticket,” Gomez said.
“Officer, is that really necessary? This is a kid who doesn’t do anything. He’s a Harvard graduate and a Yale researcher,” Hostin replied. “He teaches geometry to 4th graders in the Bronx. Why would you put something on his record like this?”
“It’s not anything criminal. He just has to appear. That’s all it is. It’s not a misdemeanor,” Gomez said. “He would have to appear, which is an inconvenience, but with all due respect, man, I still have a job to do, and we have to deter people from being on the tracks.”
Sunny arrived at the scene and asked for the violation to be reduced to a warning, to which Gomez said, “I cannot at this point.”
The officer issued Gabriel Hostin a 140.05, which constitutes a trespass violation. In New York courts, violations are for “non-criminal offenses [that] can still be punishable by arrest, fines and/or jail time.” However, violations do not create a criminal record and can remain off most applications.
Gabriel claimed the gate was open to the railroad and his trespassing was “an innocent mistake.”
“The View” host has decided to represent her son in his case to try to clear him of the violation.
“The circumstances of this case do not reflect the type of conduct the New York Penal Law § 140.05 was intended to address,” Hostin stated in a letter to Assistant District Attorney Amanda Greene, obtained by TMZ.
She continued in the letter, stating that Gabriel was a Harvard graduate and a former Junior Olympian track athlete who was training when he “observed what appeared to be a gravel incline that could be used for his training.” Her letter alleges that the “No Trespassing” sign was on the left gate and thus not visible since the gates were open.
In response to Sunny’s claim, the Metro-North Railroad police released a photo showing the “No Trespassing” sign was visible on a pole near the open gates.
“The View” host has yet to discuss the situation on social media or broach the subject on her show.
