Mel Gibson, the actor and director famous for the "Lethal Weapon" series, is under investigation by the Los Angeles Sheriff's Dept. on allegations that he physically abused ex-flame Oksana Grigorieva, Fox News reported. He could serve as many as four years in prison if charged and convicted for felony assault.
The two have an 8-month-old daughter, Lucia Gibson, and are in the middle of a bitter custody battle. And as any Illinois family lawyer would attest, a domestic abuse conviction (especially on felony charges) would not exactly help the "Passion of the Christ" director's odds of gaining custody of his daughter.
According to Oksana Grigorieva, Mel Gibson punched her in the face "more than once," knocking out a veneer, breaking a tooth and causing a concussion. But unnamed sources said it was an accident and the actor was merely trying to stop her from shaking their baby. As with most domestic abuse cases, it's mostly a "he said/she said" argument.
Steve Whitmore a Los Angeles Sheriff's Dept. spokesman, only confirmed that the investigation is preliminary but provided no further details.
Another anonymous source said authorities are taking Oksana Grigorieva's claims very seriously, although it's not clear how this source would know unless he or she was one of the investigators:
"It is hard to think she would just break her own teeth... Investigators are treating this case very carefully; they'll be determined to nail him. It's highly likely he'll do time (in jail) for this if found guilty."
But he hasn't even been charged with anything, so let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Audio tapes of Mel Gibson making profane, racist and misogynistic tirades against Oksana Grigorieva only make his defense to the charges even more difficult.
Regardless of what happens in court, abuse allegations and the embarrassing tapes (in which the baby can be heard screaming in the background) can't help his efforts to gain custody.
Related Resources:
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What is the Most Important Factor in Deciding Custody? (FindLaw ABA Family Legal Guide)
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Contact a Chicago Family Law Attorney (FindLaw)
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Mel Gibson Facing Felony Assault Charges? (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice Blog)
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