Mel Gibson unlikely to serve time over Grigorieva assault

PROSECUTORS charged Mel Gibson with misdemeanour battery stemming from a fight with his ex-girlfriend at the actor’s Malibu home.

Gibson, 55, was charged yesterday after months of investigation by sheriff’s detectives involving the January 2010 dispute between the actor and Russian musician Oksana Grigorieva.

A source familiar with the case says the winner of an Academy Award will accept a plea agreement to resolve the case. The person was not authorised to discuss details of the agreement and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

The former action star was not expected to serve jail time as a result of the charge.

The complaint accuses Gibson of “willfully and unlawfully” using force and violence against Ms Grigorieva.

His lawyer, Blair Berk, said in a statement released earlier this week that Gibson opted to end the case without fighting it because of the potential impact on his children, including an infant daughter with Ms Grigorieva.

“Mel’s priority throughout all of this has been that the best interests of his young daughter, Lucia, and the rest of his children be put first in any decisions made,” Mr Berk’s statement reads.

“It is with only that in mind that he asked me to approach the district attorney with a proposal that would bring all of this to an immediate end.”

The battery charge is another blow to Gibson’s reputation, which took a major hit after his 2006 arrest for drunken driving.

A deputy’s report leaked to the celebrity website TMZ revealed the action star had hurled anti-Semitic and sexist slurs.

His conviction was later expunged.

Recordings leaked last year during his custody battle with Mr Grigorieva appeared to carry instances of the actor using racist and sexist taunts during several tirades.

Gibson has never addressed the recordings, which were given to sheriff’s investigators and widely circulated by the celebrity website, RadarOnline.

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