Oksana Grigorieva and Mel Gibson
Jurisprudence is getting turned upside down and inside out by attorneys representing abusive criminals.
When did documenting evidence in a potential criminal case become a crime? When did engaging in out-of-court settlement negotiations morph into extortion? And, when did a mother asking for child support from a billionaire father become a crime?
David Letterman started this legal insanity when he needed to beat the rap for sexual harassment.
Now, Mel Gibson’s attorney is engaging in the same manipulation of our “justice” system as an instrument of abuse. While this doesn’t surprise me, my head is about to explode that the Los Angeles, CA sheriff’s office is a willing co-conspirator to this perversion of “justice.” Prosecutors extort child support from deadbeat dads all the time by giving them a choice between jail and paying their legal obligations. They do it to keep mom and the kids off welfare.
When Mel Gibson demanded oral sex in exchange for dropping his custody demands, it could be argued he was engaging in extortion or rape or solicitation of a prostitute. Most folks, however, would say he was just being a jerk. You’d think a billionaire wouldn’t want people to know he’s too cheap to support his own daughter. And, you’d think a movie star wouldn’t want to admit he has to coerce and/or pay women to have sex with him.
PAS fathers have just kicked litigation abuse in custody cases up another notch. Oksana Grigorieva, the mother of one of Mel Gibson’s children, was smart to record evidence of his abuse. Now, his attorney is trying to squash her like a bug to send a message to other mothers that documenting evidence of abuse can land them in jail for extortion.
Well, guys, we have our own attorneys. I’m one of them. Barry Goldstein is the champion for protective mothers. Today, they have attorneys, psychologists, academics, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Violence Against Women office, the American Bar Association, and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence backing them up. They’re lobbying.
We will not be intimidated. We will not shut up. We will protect children from your abuse.
Anne Caroline Drake 
Please also see my post under Litigation and abuse. Lobbying is great, but I need help NOW. I have done some research about this town I now live in, where I escaped to from another state. This city according to the local newspaper archives had no legal aid for us, because legal aid was closed down due to lack of funds, and just reopened a couple of years ago. The city commissioners backed it stating, ” well now we won’t need as many lawyers to do Pro Bono.” HAH!!!! The only thing that legal aid does here is help to represent in restraining orders. The lawyer I had was so inexperienced, she kept trying to focus on my housing issues (they will help you with lanlord/tenant problems.) She lost my case, and I keep getting blungeoned and battered again, not only by the system that fails us, but also by my husband who is being allowed to do it. And, none of the lawyers here do Pro Bono. And, I was in contact with the bar association here to get referrals, maybe through the modest means program; but the only lawyers listed are in another county and won’t come over. This is like Bunker Hill.
Mercy4Women, you sound like you are a resourceful person. So, I’m guessing you’ve either gone to your local domestic violence shelter and didn’t get help or there isn’t one. And, I’m guessing you’ve checked out the abundant resources at Rights for Mothers (see my survivor blog roll).
The folks backing up the American Mothers Political Party sponsored a conference call yesterday. Someone from the US Justice Department’s Violence Against Women office announced they would have funding for litigation for mothers like you. I have no idea whether that funding is available right now or how a person gets her hands on it.
However, in trying to ferret out the phone number to call for the conference, I discovered an exceedingly cool organization which I added to my survivors’ blog roll: Stop Family Violence. It is a volunteer organization run by a very savvy survivor.
I encourage you to visit their site and leave a comment. Since she doesn’t get paid and has a zillion demands on her time, you will need to be far more concise and clear than you have been in your comments here. For example, “I just received a motion to show just cause to modify the parenting plan” is great. The rest of that comment needs to be condensed down to its essence. One very long, rambling paragraph is exceedingly hard to read or comprehend.
The more concise and specific you can be, the more likely you are to get help.
My only other suggestions would be to see if there is a domestic violence unit in your prosecutor’s office. These folks know what’s going on in the legal community ~ what resources are available, etc. You also might get lucky and find someone helpful and resourceful at your state domestic violence coalition.
If all this fails, I’d take ALL your kids (preferably on a day when they are crabby as hell) and engage in a sit-in at your local welfare office until somebody decides to give you meaningful help. Sadly, most welfare workers are overwhelmed with work and have a penchant for blowing us off and hoping our issues will resolve themselves or we’ll give up. I’ve learned that it helps a LOT if we can go in with someone skilled at staring them down until they agree to help a person. I’ve also learned that it helps to have back-up from an authority figure such as a preacher, teacher, psychologist, or doctor.
You might have seen my post blasting the local folks. I was shocked that after I named names in my blog that a few folks got off the dime and actually did something. Just be sure if you decide to do this that you don’t exaggerate or saying anything untruthful.
Good luck and God bless,
Anne Caroline
Oksana will end up in jail if Justice prevails.
I’m shocked by your point of view, Michelle. When did it become a crime for a mother to protect her child from an abusive maniac?
Do you honestly think billionaires should be allowed to be deadbeat dads?
Me thinks you have been suckered by Mel Gibson’s spin.
If Mel Gibson gains custody of the children, then, both Gibson and the family court judge should be throw in jail for child endangerment. If Gibson beats his (ex) wife, then, he may beat her children.
Oh, Earl, I love it when you weigh in. Actually, it appears he already hit the little girl when he was trying to beat his ex-girlfriend.