- Prosecutors charged actor Mel Gibson on Friday with one count of battery for hitting his former girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva in January 2010, according to court documents.
Gibson, 55, is widely expected to plead no contest to the charge, which is the equivalent of a guilty plea, in a Los Angeles court on Friday.
The actor and Oscar-winning director of "Braveheart" has waged a custody battle with Grigorieva over their infant daughter, Lucia, which has included claims and counterclaims that have played out in the public spotlight.
Grigorieva has claimed Gibson punched her during a heated argument on Jan. 6, 2010, and Gibson has admitted in a sworn declaration he slapped her with an open hand.
But Gibson has said he was concerned for the safety of Lucia, whom Grigorieva was holding in her arms. He has said he feared that because of his ex-girlfriend's erratic movements, the infant could suffer "shaken baby syndrome."
For his part, Gibson has claimed Grigorieva was trying to extort money from him in a settlement of their breakup by using a series of audiotapes of a man ranting at her, hurling insults and a racial slurs over the telephone.
The audiotapes, which were posted on celebrity website Radaronline.com last year and widely believed to be of Gibson, have damaged his career.
Grigorieva, through attorneys, has denied Gibson's claims, but officials have investigated the accusations against her as well as those against Gibson.
On Wednesday, a source close to the situation said Gibson would plead no contest to the misdemeanor count of battery in order to avoid seeing the matter play out in a public courtroom, which could trouble his family.
His attorney, Blair Berk, issued a statement saying: "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."
Hollywood actor and director Mel Gibson pleaded no contest on Friday to hitting his ex-girlfriend during a heated argument and was sentenced to three years' probation and violence counseling.
Gibson, 55, received no jail time as part of his plea, which is the equivalent of admitting guilt under California law. He sat through the court proceeding in a dark suit and open-collared shirt, and answered the judge directly when asked if he understood his sentencing.
The actor, who was formally charged with one count of domestic battery, must also spend one year in domestic violence counseling, perform 16 hours of community service and pay fines and other court costs.
Gibson, whose career includes the hit "Lethal Weapon" movies and Academy Award winner "Braveheart," has waged a bitter custody battle for almost a year with Oksana Grigorieva over their infant daughter, Lucia, that has included claims and counterclaims of wrongdoing by both parties.
Grigorieva has said Gibson punched her during a heated argument on Jan. 6, 2010. The actor has admitted in a sworn declaration that he slapped her with an open hand, but has said he was concerned for the safety of Lucia because Grigorieva was shaking her erratically at the time.
Gibson has claimed Grigorieva tried to extort money from him beyond a reported $20 million settlement that resulted from their breakup by using a series of audiotapes of a man hurling insults and a racial slurs over the telephone.
The audiotapes, which were posted on celebrity website Radaronline.com last year and widely believed to be of Gibson, have damaged his career.
Grigorieva has denied Gibson's claims, but law enforcement officials investigated the accusations against her, as well as those against Gibson, resulting in Friday's plea deal.
Celebrity website TMZ.com reported that the Los Angeles district attorney would not file an extortion charge against Grigorieva, but that could not be immediately confirmed.
In a statement issued by her attorneys to Radaronline.com, Grigorieva said Gibson's plea deal was made "with complete fairness to all involved." She did not appear in court, but a prosecutor said the plea was made with her knowledge.
Also in court, Gibson's attorney, Blair Berk, said he made his plea "because it is in the best interest of his children."
However the criminal cases of Hollywood star Mel Gibson and his former girlfriend ended on Friday when a judge sentenced him to probation for hitting her and prosecutors declined to charge her with blackmail.
Gibson, 55, pleaded no contest to a charge of domestic violence against Oksana Grigorieva, the mother of his baby daughter. He received three years' probation, was ordered to spend one year in counseling, perform 16 hours of community service and pay fines and court costs.
The stoic Gibson, dressed in a dark suit and open-collared shirt during a brief proceeding in a Los Angeles courtroom, received no jail time as part of his plea, which is the equivalent of admitting guilt under California law.
"I have a good grasp of everything my attorney has discussed with me," Gibson told the judge of his plea.
He struck a deal with prosecutors to dim the media spotlight on him and his family after a year of harsh claims and counterclaims between him and Grigorieva.
"It is in the best interest of his children," his attorney, Blair Berk, said in court of the actor's decision.
Gibson, whose career includes the smash hit "Lethal Weapon" movies and Academy Award winner "Braveheart," has waged a bitter custody battle for almost a year with Grigorieva over their infant daughter, Lucia.
Grigorieva claimed Gibson punched her and broke her tooth during a heated argument on Jan. 6, 2010. The actor admitted he slapped her with an open hand, but said he was concerned for the safety of Lucia because Grigorieva was shaking her erratically at the time.
Gibson has alleged Grigorieva tried to extort money from him -- beyond a reported $20 million settlement that resulted from their breakup -- by using a series of audiotapes of a man hurling insults and a racial slurs at her over the telephone.
The tapes, posted last year on celebrity website Radaronline.com and widely believed to be of Gibson, damaged his career. His longtime manager left him, a movie's release was delayed and actors refused to work with him.
But prosecutors declined on Friday to file charges against Grigorieva, saying "there is insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt" that Grigorieva committed a crime.
In a statement issued by her attorneys to Radaronline.com, Grigorieva said Gibson's plea was made "with complete fairness to all involved." She did not appear in court, but a prosecutor said the plea was made with her knowledge.
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