Mel Gibson will cop a plea in his domestic violence case in court on Friday, March 11, admitting to misdemeanor battery of former girlfriend and baby mama Oksana Grigorieva.
Under the plea deal, Mel will not go to jail, instead he is likely to be placed under probation and ordered to undergo counseling.
Mel will appear in person before Judge Stephanie Sautner Friday afternoon to plead guilty as is required by the law in such cases.
Announcing Mel's decision, his lawyer Blair Berk said in a statement on Wednesday:
"I know from almost 20 years as a criminal defense lawyer that sometimes justice can come for a client at too high a personal price. That is particularly so for Mel, whose right to due process can only be exercised in this case with an enormous media circus attached. Mel's priority throughout all of this has been that the best interests of his young daughter Lucia and the rest of his children be put first in any decisions made. It is with only that in mind that he asked me to approach the District Attorney with a proposal that would bring all of this to an immediate end."
Sources tell Radaronline.com that Grigorieva's 13-year-old son with Timothy Dalton – Alexander Dalton - was set to testify against Mel in the case, which may have prompted Mel to strike a deal.
Alexander reportedly witnessed much of the argument between Oksana and Mel on January 6, but didn't witness the assault.
Oksana filed a domestic violence complaint against Mel on July 5, 2010 alleging that he had assaulted her on January 6, 2010.
In her complaint, Oksana alleged that during an argument on January 6, Mel repeatedly hit her on the face damaging the veneer on two of her teeth.
In the past Oksana has told TMZ that she does not think Mel should go to jail; he just needs counseling.
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