Sunny Hostin, a co-host on the television show "The View," attempted to dissuade law enforcement from issuing her son a citation for trespassing on Metro-North Railroad tracks. The incident occurred last month in Westchester County, New York, and was documented by police bodycam footage.
Hostin, who is also a former federal prosecutor, was on the phone with her 24-year-old son, Gabriel Hostin, when he was stopped by police for being on the railroad right-of-way. According to the footage and court records, Gabriel Hostin was spotted on the tracks near 24 Station Plaza shortly before 8 p.m. on June 16, in violation of posted no trespassing signs.
During the encounter, Sunny Hostin identified herself to the responding officers, stating, "My name is Sunny Hostin and I’m one of the co-hosts of ‘The View’ and I’m a former federal prosecutor." She emphasized her son's background, telling an officer, "That’s my son. He’s a Harvard graduate, he doesn’t have a criminal record." She also described him as a "Harvard graduate" who "teaches 4th grade geometry" and characterized the situation as an "innocent mistake."
Gabriel Hostin told the officers he was jogging and entered the area because a gate near the tracks was open. He was detained on the side of the tracks before police proceeded to a nearby street. Sunny Hostin arrived on the scene and continued to advocate for her son, reiterating her legal background and his educational achievements.
Despite the intervention, the 24-year-old was issued a trespass violation. Police indicated that their "hands were tied" due to the nature of the offense and the presence of surveillance cameras. An officer explained that the location where Gabriel Hostin was found is an "arrestable offense," but they were issuing a trespass violation due to his cooperation and background.
Gabriel Hostin is scheduled to appear in court in New Rochelle on July 31. Reports indicate that Sunny Hostin is representing her son in the legal proceedings. In a letter obtained by TMZ, Hostin defended her son's actions, stating that he observed an open gate and a gravel incline suitable for training, and that a "No Trespassing" sign was not visible due to the gate's position.