EXCLUSIVE: Prosecutors 'Frustrated' At Sheriff Investigating Mel & Oksana, Stalling Extortion Probe: Source
Feb. 10 2011, Published 9:01 a.m. ET
Mel Gibson's extortion case against ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva still has not been turned over to the Los Angeles District Attorney in a move that has "frustrated" prosecutors, RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned.
The District Attorney wants to announce whether it will charge the Lethal Weapon star with domestic violence and Grigorieva with extortion, but the D.A. can't until the files are turned over.
While the investigation was said to be "substantially done" as of last week, as sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore told the Los Angeles Times, prosecutors now don't believe they will receive the case until next week, at the earliest.
One source told RadarOnline.com: "The amount of hours the Sheriff's Department has spent on investigating Oksana is mind boggling."
Sheriff's officials have spent months investigating claims that someone tried to trade her silence for money from Gibson, 55, who is in a bitter custody dispute with ex-girlfriend and mother of his eighth child, Lucia.
"The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is stalling in turning over the Oksana case to the District Attorney," a source with knowledge of the investigation said.
"The investigators have had the case for months, and it literally started out as probe into claims of extortion and now has evolved into them going over testimony from the family law case.
"Prosecutors are getting very frustrated that they haven't officially turned it over and it's delaying a decision whether to charge Mel.
"It's almost as if the cops are waiting for Oksana to commit a crime to bolster their findings, which so far, are very anemic.
"It's unlikely any charges will be filed against Oksana."
Grigorieva has claimed Gibson punched her in the head on January 6, last year, during a nuclear blow-up at his multi-million dollar Malibu mansion, knocking out two veneers on her upper front teeth -- all while she held their then-infant daughter.
RadarOnline.com obtained exclusive photos showing damage to Grigorieva's mouth; a broken tooth and cracked veneer on her upper front teeth.
In Gibson's sworn declaration, dated June 23, he admitted to slapping his ex-girlfriend across the face, but denied that he ever punched her.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, a charge of domestic violence/corporal injury involving a former cohabitant is looming for the Oscar-winning actor/director, according to sources.
It can be prosecuted as a felony or misdemeanor.
Prosecutors were ready to file criminal charges against Gibson, but granted the star's high-powered criminal lawyer Blair Berk a last-ditch meeting on January 19, as she she sought to persuade authorities not to charge the actor.
"The D.A. is going over new information that was provided by Mel's lawyers," one law enforcement source told RadarOnline.com.
"Mel's lawyers presented Deputy District Attorney's John Lynch and Simone Shaye with inconsistencies of Oksana's testimony and depositions from the family law case.
"Mel's lawyers claim that Oksana would be a terrible witness and that she is a liar."
RELATED STORIES:
Exclusive Audio: Mel's Racist Rant
'More Than Enough' Evidence To Charge Mel In Domestic Violence Case
Photos Will Show Oksana With Black Eyes, Broken Teeth From Mel
Oksana Punched? Her Teeth Are In Her Head, Says Mel's Lawyer
RELATED AUDIO:
Listen to RadarOnline.com exclusive Mel Gibson audio:
MEL AUDIO TAPE #1: Mel's Racist Rant
MEL AUDIO TAPE #2: Mel Gibson Admits Hitting Oksana, Threatens To Kill Her
MEL AUDIO TAPE #3: Another Mel Gibson Slur Caught On Tape In Crazed Rage
MEL AUDIO TAPE #4: Out Of Control Mel Gibson Says He'll Burn Down House After Demanding Sex
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