The Associated Press, as well as dozens of other news media, has recently reported that actor Mel Gibson has made a plea agreement with prosecutors for a misdemeanor battery charge on a domestic violence incident that occurred between the actor and former girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, over a year ago.
The January 2010 dispute between the two could have resulted with Gibson serving jail time had he not had the charges reduced to a misdemeanor battery.
Gibson is expected to enter his plea in person, per an Associated Press tipster.
Grigorievea, a Russian musician and mother of Gibson’s youngest child, reported the incident to authorities – months after the two had dissolved their romance.
It was also after the two had come to a custody agreement arrangement for their baby girl.
Blair Berk, Gibson’s attorney, stated that Gibson made the agreement – bearing his children in mind – because he wanted the case resolved.
Berk said in a statement, “I know from almost 20 years as a criminal defense lawyer that sometimes justice can come for a client at too high a personal price.
That is particularly so for Mel, whose right to due process can only be exercised in this case with an enormous media circus attached.”
The details of the plea agreement were not mentioned in Berk’s statement.
Gibson has been suffering personally, and professionally, since his drunken driving arrest in 2006. It was the first time, but not the last, that the public was made aware of his anti-Semitic and sexist leanings when the arresting deputy’s report was leaked and then, a few years later, by Grigorievea’s release of his cellular texts.
Gibson’s texts proved to be both racial and sexually charged tirades – that he has since chosen not to address.
The DUI conviction, though later expunged, is still in the public’s memory.
Since 2002 Gibson has only starred in two movies, the latest, titled “The Beaver” is headed to Austin, Texas for its premiere. In 2004 he was a heavy-Hollywood hitter due to the release of “The Passion of the Christ”, a film he directed, that made $300 million in the box office.
When Gibson and Grigorieva were enjoying their heyday – attending award shows and being photographed on the red carpet – Gibson announced that they were expecting a child to the TV audience of “The Tonight Show.”
The very-public relationship unraveled with the news that Gibson, 55, struck Grigorieva, 40, on January 6, 2010.
When the Sheriff’s Department began its investigation Gibson countered by attesting that Grigorieva had been trying to extort money from him. The couple, by this time, had parted ways.
The custody agreement of the infant is confidential but Stephen Kolodny, Gibson’s attorney, said that his client was paying Grigorieva for a home, a car and childcare.
Family court hearings have become a constant for the two. Appearing opposite each other they have had to deal with issues relating to childcare, financial matters and evidence – on both of them – in their concurrent criminal investigations.
Are you being charged with domestic violence? You will need to contact a family law attorney to help you with your plea and your defense today!