Halle Berry accused of child abuse by ex-husband, judge grants restraining order while actress will have temporary restricted visits
Actor Halle Berry has been accused of abusing her 12-year-old son by her ex-husband, Olivier Martinez, who is asking for sole custody of their child. Martinez also filed a petition for a temporary restraining order against the Catwoman star.
The alleged incident took place on September 26. According to Variety, Martinez, who is also an actor, claimed that Berry “physically abused our son Maceo, by jumping on him, putting her hands around his neck and choking him.” Martinez has asked to change their current arrangement to give him full custody of their son.
Martinez, who split with Berry back in 2015, asked for a temporary restraining order as well. A judge later granted the order, which covered Martinez and the couple’s son, Maceo. The judge also temporarily modified Berry’s visitation rights, reports People. Berry’s time with Maceo was limited to Mondays and Tuesdays, between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays, between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Berry, who starred in the thriller, Crime 101 earlier this year, will have to abide by the temporary restraining order until a hearing later this month, where a judge will decide whether the change should be made permanent.
Halle Berry’s legal team responds
Following Martinez’s initial filing, Berry’s attorney Marina Beck said in a statement that it was “entirely meritless and deliberately misleading.” The attorney also said that there was “evidence” and “judicial rulings” proving that “Olivier Martinez repeatedly violated court orders and interfered with necessary therapeutic and educational interventions to the detriment of his and Halle Berry’s minor son Maceo.”
Beck’s statement also mentioned Martinez’s alleged “history of erratic, possessive and violent behavior,” which she said was well documented. She went on to say that Berry was “deeply saddened” by her ex-husband’s accusation, but “she will not allow it to deter her from fighting for Maceo’s best interests.”
Martinez claimed that there had been “other instances of abuse” over the years and that the incidents involved physical abuse from Berry against Maceo as well as “verbal and emotional abuse from Petitioner to me.”
An example that Martinez gave was when Berry allegedly “told our son that I am ‘a white b—h trying to rob a Black woman’ due to child support issues.” He claimed that she later texted him to apologize for the incident.
Martinez said that he did not want to permanently sever the relationship between mother and son but claimed they should not be interacting with each other “until Petitioner can take sufficient accountability for her actions.” He asked that Berry not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs during visitations with their son. The judge denied a request that Berry’s sobriety be monitored, citing “insufficient information.”
(Featured image: TBS)
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