A Manhattan judge sentenced a woman who stalked “Orange is the New Black” star Taryn Manning to 45 days in jail for continuing to contact the actress despite a restraining order.
A lawyer for Jeanine Heller, whose been busted three times for harassing Manning, had worked out a no-jail plea deal for the persistent paramour’s first two stalking cases.
All she had to do was stay out of trouble for six months.
But Heller, who claims she had a romantic relationship with Manning, contacted the actress at least 48 additional times after taking the deal, was arrested Jan 12 and has been in custody since.
Her attorney hammered out a far less favorable agreement with Manhattan prosecutors Wednesday that covers all three cases.
Heller, 32, wearing a grey pantsuit and her eyes pooling with tears, pleaded guilty to harassment as a violation. And she’ll be left with a misdemeanor criminal contempt conviction on her record from the prior cases.
She admitted that she obtained an order of protection by falsely claiming Manning was her ex-girlfriend and was harassing her. She then claimed Manning violated the order by threatening to kill her and the actress was tossed in jail.
“Are you admitting that in order to receive that petition you made several allegations that she had been contacting you making abusive and threatening messages and those messages did not occur?” asked Assistant District Attorney Zachary Weintraub.
“Yes,” she answered hesitantly.
When Heller is released from jail, she has to enroll in Cape Psychiatric Care – an inpatient facility – for at least a week and must continue mental health treatment for an additional six months.
And she’s banned from using a computer until her next court date.
“It’s an appropriate resolution that reflects what transpired in this case,” said her defense lawyer Jeremy Saland. “Unfortunately this was an ugly fight between two women that spiraled to a point that landed us in the courtroom. Fortunately we’re finished with it.”