|
| |||||||||||||
Police: Gibson arrest 'without incident'Star apologizes for behavior after 'horrific relapse' of alcoholism
![]() Prosecutors will decide whether to file DUI charges against Mel Gibson. YOUR E-MAIL ALERTSLOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- A spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on Sunday stood by his statement that Friday morning's arrest of actor Mel Gibson on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol occurred "without incident." "Every time somebody is arrested, something out of the ordinary happens, but guns don't always have to be drawn," said spokesman Steve Whitmore. "Without incident means without force." Whitmore said the Sheriff's Department has neither tried to cover up details of Gibson's arrest nor sanitized anything released to the public. He said that when the final report is presented to the district attorney, it will contain everything -- "lock, stock and barrel." Whitmore's statements came as the entertainment news Web site TMZ.com reported that Gibson launched into a tirade when he was arrested, swearing and hurling anti-Semitic and sexist remarks. According to the site, the report said Gibson's comments included, "F------ Jews... The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world," and that he asked a deputy, "Are you a Jew?" TMZ.com, which is owned by CNN parent company Time Warner, also reported that different versions of the police report exist, and that Gibson's profanity-laced tirade was removed from the original report, which was filed by the arresting deputy. CNN has not obtained the police reports and cannot verify the Web site's allegations. However, the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday that it had independently verified the original report's authenticity, according to The Associated Press. Asked about the reports that the 50-year-old actor made anti-Semitic remarks, Whitmore said, "The job of the L.A. County Sheriff's Department is not to focus on what he said or didn't say, but to establish his blood-alcohol level and concentrate on the facts. We do not investigate on rumor and innuendo." Asked if two versions of the report exist, Whitmore said only that there will be "one final version presented to the district attorney which will contain everything." In a statement released Saturday through his publicist, Gibson expressed remorse for his actions, but he did not specifically address the statements reported by TMZ.com. "I did a number of things that were very wrong," he said. "I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. "I disgraced myself and my family with my behavior and for that I am truly sorry." Gibson said he has "battled with the disease of alcoholism for all of my adult life and profoundly regret my horrific relapse," adding that he has "already taken necessary steps to ensure my return to health." (Read the full statement) Publicist Alan Nierob told CNN on Sunday he would not elaborate on his client's statement, any comments he may have made during his arrest, his whereabouts or whether Gibson had entered an alcohol rehabilitation program. Deputies said Gibson, who has not been charged, was speeding when he was pulled over. The Sheriff's Department said a preliminary test showed Gibson's blood alcohol level was 0.12. The state's legal limit is .08. Gibson was released after posting $5,000 bond. Whitmore said that after the case is presented to the district attorney, prosecutors will decide whether to file charges. Investigation under wayThe department's handling of the arrest and the report is being investigated by the Office of Independent Review, said attorney Mike Gennaco, who heads the office. Gennaco promised a thorough investigation and said he is interested in learning how the information was made public. The office oversees the Sheriff's Department's reports and investigates allegations of misconduct, but is not part of the department. It comprises an independent group of lawyers who do not work for the Sheriff's Department, but have a contract with a board of elected supervisors. In response to the reports that anti-Semitic and sexist remarks were removed from the report, Gennaco said, "There certainly could be legitimate reasons for sending a report back and changing it. That happens all the time. A good supervisor makes sure the report complies with all the rules and regulations." Asked about allegations of a cover-up by the Sheriff's Department, Gennaco said, "If there was a cover-up, it wasn't a total cover-up. Gibson was arrested on suspicion of DUI. He was detained, held, photographed. In the old days, somebody like him may have just been driven home." Gennaco said he does not know if the alleged police report posted on TMZ.com is authentic, but said, "It looks authentic. It's formatted the way police reports are formatted, and I've looked at thousands of reports." Gennaco said his job is to find out if the report was indeed altered and, if it was, whether there were legitimate reasons for doing so. In the past, Gibson has participated in a Sheriff's Department charity that provides aid to the children of slain deputies. The department said the investigation into Gibson's arrest is ongoing. Gibson, who acted in the "Lethal Weapon" and "Mad Max" movie series, won an Oscar for directing 1995's Oscar-winning best picture, "Braveheart." He reportedly financed the controversial movie "The Passion of the Christ" (2004), which he also directed, with $25 million of his own money. The film made $370 million at the domestic box office and ranks No. 10 on the all-time box office list. "The Passion of the Christ" was nominated for three Academy Awards. Gibson's latest movie, "Apocalypto," set in the Mayan civilization of several centuries ago, is due in December. The Anti-Defamation League, which was critical of the portrayal of Jews in "The Passion of the Christ," called Gibson's statement "unremorseful and insufficient." "It's not a proper apology because it does not go to the essence of his bigotry," said Abraham H. Foxman, the group's national director, in a written statement. CNN's Brooke Anderson contributed to this report.
|
| ||||||||||||
| © 2007 Cable News Network. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. Site Map. |
|