Home : Celebrity Justice, Mel Gibson : Mel Gibson Cops a Plea

Celebrity Justice
Mel Gibson Cops a Plea

Posted Aug 17th 2006 2:00PM by TMZ Staff

Mel GibsonTMZ has learned Mel Gibson's lawyer went to the Malibu Courthouse Thursday and appeared with the prosecutor to reveal a plea deal. Gibson has agreed to three years probation, but will avoid jail time. Gibson was ordered to attend one year of AA meetings. For the first four-and-a-half months he must attend five times a week. For the remainder of the time, he must attend three times a week. Gibson must also pay $1200 in fines and penalties as well as one hundred dollars in restitution.

Gibson volunteered to do a public service announcement on the hazards of driving under the influence. He also volunteered to enter a rehab program immediately.

Under the deal, Gibson pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor of driving with a .08 blood alcohol level or higher. The misdemeanor count of driving under the influence was dismissed. The infraction of driving with an open container of alcohol was also dismissed.

Under California law, Gibson will have his driver's license restricted for 90 days.

Gibson's lawyer initially went to Division 3, but Judge Terry Adamson refused to take the plea because she is a neighbor of Gibson's. The case was moved to Division 1 where Judge Lawrence Mira took the plea. A number of celebrities have passed through Mira's courtroom, including Nick Nolte, Nicole Richie, and Kim Delaney.

Gibson was not in court for the plea.

Click here to check out the plea bargain documents



Related

Articles

Photos



Tags: Mel Gibson, MelGibson, plea

Comments [285]
SHARE |
4ie6

Relevant Posts

Reader Comments

(Page 18 of 19) Previous 15 Comments | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

256. As Frank Zappa once said:

"The only thing more abundant than hydrogen in the universe is stupidity."

and the posts attacking Mel Gibson bears this out.

It does not take a rocket engineer to comprehend
that Mel Gibson is being "Mel Gibson'ed"

but because Israeli supporters want to divert attention
from the murder of innocent women and children
in Lebanon, and to the destruction of precious infrastructure
that took decades to build.

It takes a lot of "stupidity" (Or immorality) to try to
equate the murder of innocent women and children,
and the destruction of essential infrastructure,

to someone driving over the limit
on an expressway in the middle of the night.

Who has not driven after two or three drinks?
Who has not exceeded the speed limit in the middle of the night?
Who has murdered innocent women and children?

I suggest that greed and immorality
(Which is used to rationalize greed.)
are the next most abundant things in the universe,
after stupidity and hydrogen.

Posted at 10:51PM on Aug 18th 2006 by Tom Potter

257. 14yrs ago a women who , now has 49yrs of recovery was put in your path you help her to open up a center, then you left, that center is still open saving lives because of your kindness and your belief in the program the center is still helping lost souls of the suffering addicts and alcoholics Maybe God is trying to tell you something, maybe its time for you to come back and finish your job that God had plan for you. God put you and that women of God here for a special reason, you both cross paths with the same disease and with the same passion for Christ, you and her have been chosen by God to finish the works that he has started, and that is to deliver the world from the deadful disease of yaddiction Mel after you read this you will never want to drink agan God as taken the desire of alcohol out of your body and out of your life go back to where you met this person and start your new life.

Posted at 11:30PM on Aug 18th 2006 by Joan Wenddorf

258. 14yrs ago a women who , now has 49yrs of recovery was put in your path you help her to open up a center, then you left, that center is still open saving lives because of your kindness and your belief in the program the center is still helping lost souls of the suffering addicts and alcoholics Maybe God is trying to tell you something, maybe its time for you to come back and finish your job that God had plan for you. God put you and that women of God here for a special reason, you both cross paths with the same disease and with the same passion for Christ, you and her have been chosen by God to finish the works that he has started, and that is to deliver the world from the deadful disease of yaddiction Mel after you read this you will never want to drink agan God as taken the desire of alcohol out of your body and out of your life go back to where you met this person and start your new life.

Posted at 11:30PM on Aug 18th 2006 by Joan Wenddorf

259. His punishment is about the same as anybody else who gets a DUI. Hopefully he learns his lesson. Most people who get DUI's don't usually get a jail sentence unless they hurt somebody or if there is an accident.

Posted at 8:20AM on Aug 19th 2006 by amy

260. I just read this comment on here..."Mel,did not get off as easy as most.Personally, I don't beleive we need a law banning us from drinking and driving.(atleast lets up the leagle limit)" WHAT? You must be one of the ones who drives drunk on a regular basis, because the majority of us don't want to be run over by someone who consumes a ton of alcohol and gets behind the wheel, which is exactly why there ARE laws...because people can't always be trusted to make the right decisions on their own. And by the way, if I hear "Mel is human" one more time, I'm going to vomit. When your daughter or son or husband or wife or mother or father are run down by a drunk who was too stupid to call a cab or a friend for a ride, then you tell me how human you think Mel and other drunken drivers are. To err is human, yes, but to put people's lives in danger is not. And just because he didn't kill anyone THIS time doesn't mean anything...next time he and the people he smashes into won't be so lucky.

Posted at 9:55AM on Aug 19th 2006 by Ex-Mel Fan

261. mel gibson did a very stupid and possibly life-threatening thing,........i am sorry for his relapse, i'm sure he worked very hard to stay sober. just as his celebrity does not give him special priveledges, it does not give the rest of us the right to his judge, jury, and prosecutor. when his recovery is in place, he will do the right things. mention of his moving film about the crucifiction of Christ Jesus cannot be overstated. do you know how many christian lives he has touched? neither do i, but enough to give forgiveness, and a portion of love.......a cup overflowing.
willie-st.louis,mo

Posted at 10:10AM on Aug 19th 2006 by willie

262. may God bless Mel in his recovery.

Posted at 10:13AM on Aug 19th 2006 by willie

263. Give it up people!! Like none of you have ever made a mistake in your life? A big one at that?? Yes he got drunk, most of us have at one time or other. Yes, he got behind the wheel after drinking, some of us have. Last but not least he made comments that should never have been made, I know that all of us have at one time or other said things they wish they could take back. Also..... you cannot tell me that what is said in a drunken stupor is the truth. Tell me every single time you got drunk you ended up doing what you always wanted to do or said what you always wanted to say...... heck no you didnt!! You end up doing what a drunken mind says its ok to do or say. HELLO?? GET A GRIP!!

Posted at 11:17AM on Aug 19th 2006 by Eileen

264. Well it is sad to say "Justice" is not blind. It is tipped by the rich and famous. I am sure Mr. Gibson has a disease, but I am also sure he was given a break with sentencing not many other people with the same disease receive. As far as the comments: How many other people's comments, when been arrested, are written down by the arresting officer AND then sold for publication? It is nobody's business what Mr. Gibson commented on when being arrested !!!!!!

Posted at 1:52PM on Aug 19th 2006 by Kathy

265. I agree with Stephanie. My first ever traffic offense was a DUI. I lost my job and was not able to drive for a year. I worked at the zoo for community service. I attended rehab/education for 10 months. It was hell. I don't think Mel has met that yet.

Posted at 4:52PM on Aug 19th 2006 by Senora

266. I agree with Stephanie. My first ever traffic offense was a DUI. I lost my job and was not able to drive for a year. I worked at the zoo for community service. I attended rehab/education for 10 months. It was hell. I don't think Mel has met that yet.

Posted at 4:52PM on Aug 19th 2006 by Senora

267. Mels mistake was speeding like an Idiot!!!! He knew he was getting close to being drunk and was drinking water so he could drive home. Good for him. The problem is that he had no way to know if his Alcohol level was .08 .09 .10 ??? According to what state you were in at the time.
I'll bet that of the 100 or so people at the club he was in
drove home with a level over .08.
I suggest that all clubs have a blow test at the door free , and the state should offer test packs for people who drink.

Posted at 9:28PM on Aug 19th 2006 by james

268. Forgiveness is good. Mel Gibson made a mistake and will receive more publicity because he is a celebrity. He is a human being first with a medical problem which needs to be corrected immediately which he is attempting to do. Would you like to make your mistakes when the whole world has an opinion. Just because he has money which he has worked hard for and deserves and is a celebrity does make him an easy mark for all the comedians, etc. He is trying to get himself on track now. What more can we ask of a humanbeing?? At least he admits his problem and is seeking help. His remarks were despicable as he said and I am sure he came by them naturally since he was raised by the father he has who is a Holocaust denier. He has that in his memory bank since I am sure he has heard that all his life growing up, but fortunately his Jewish friends and others deny he is anti-semitic. I believe he will make that right when he is closer to becoming well. God Go With You, Mel Gibson. Forgiveness is good. Let's thank God that nothing more happened. Let's all say a prayer regarding this situation.

Posted at 2:04AM on Aug 20th 2006 by SANDRA GOSSETT

269. Mel Gibson is an anti-semetic snake - I hope he ruined himelf for Hollywood for good!!

Posted at 3:32AM on Aug 20th 2006 by Jen

270. Legally, yes..Mel got off very easy. But not one of you happened to catch the more damaging and long lasting punishment Mel IS getting. He may have only gotten 90 suspension, no jail time and 1 year of AA meetings. He also got public humiliation, being scathed and judged publicly. This hurts worse for him than for us, as his profession is based off of people like us going to see his movies...for someone like him, being in the public eye and rich and famous is definitly a double edged sword. Is worse than the olden days, being tarred and feathered and displayed in front of all...he did this to himself, and we are finishing the job for him. Read some of your comments....of course THAT is going to hurt him....and in the pocketbook....and in the pride/ego...and professionally. Think about it. That judge might be smarter than first appeared to be.

Posted at 1:04PM on Aug 20th 2006 by Amy

Previous 15 Comments | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments