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Los Angeles - Mel Gibson appeared in court on Wednesday for the first time for a custody hearing involving his infant daughter with an estranged ex-girlfriend.
The Academy Award winner arrived for the all-day session about 10 minutes before Russian musician Oksana Grigorieva at a downtown Los Angeles courthouse, escorted by the police. He remained out of sight during a lengthy morning break, but walked calmly through the courthouse with his attorneys to and from a luncheon strategy session.
Gibson did not speak to the group of reporters convened outside Judge Scott Gordon's closely guarded courtroom. By law, the custody proceedings are closed to the public and the case file is sealed.
At least part of Wednesday's session was spent addressing the release of information about the case, but attorneys for both sides declined to comment in detail about what occurred. They are scheduled to reconvene on November 22.
"We're not going to talk out of respect for the nature of the proceedings," Grigorieva's attorney, Daniel Horowitz said.
Gordon has convened several hearings in the case and ruled last month that sheriff's detectives should have unfettered access to information obtained from Grigorieva's computer. The department is investigating claims by Gibson that his ex-girlfriend attempted to extort him after their breakup.
Detectives also looked into allegations by Grigorieva that the actor-director abused her during a fight in January, although she waited months to report the incident. Potential evidence in that inquiry has been turned over to prosecutors, but no charges have been filed.
Gibson's divorce from his wife of 28 years is still pending.
The Academy Award winner arrived for the all-day session about 10 minutes before Russian musician Oksana Grigorieva at a downtown Los Angeles courthouse, escorted by the police. He remained out of sight during a lengthy morning break, but walked calmly through the courthouse with his attorneys to and from a luncheon strategy session.
Gibson did not speak to the group of reporters convened outside Judge Scott Gordon's closely guarded courtroom. By law, the custody proceedings are closed to the public and the case file is sealed.
At least part of Wednesday's session was spent addressing the release of information about the case, but attorneys for both sides declined to comment in detail about what occurred. They are scheduled to reconvene on November 22.
"We're not going to talk out of respect for the nature of the proceedings," Grigorieva's attorney, Daniel Horowitz said.
Gordon has convened several hearings in the case and ruled last month that sheriff's detectives should have unfettered access to information obtained from Grigorieva's computer. The department is investigating claims by Gibson that his ex-girlfriend attempted to extort him after their breakup.
Detectives also looked into allegations by Grigorieva that the actor-director abused her during a fight in January, although she waited months to report the incident. Potential evidence in that inquiry has been turned over to prosecutors, but no charges have been filed.
Gibson's divorce from his wife of 28 years is still pending.
