Actor Mel facing prison

[Neil D]

July 30, 2006 12:00

MEL Gibson could be jailed for three days under California's tough mandatory sentencing laws, after he was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving.

Gibson, 50, who has previously said that he was a recovering alcoholic and member of Alcoholics Anonymous, was arrested after a Los Angeles county sheriff's officer smelt alcohol on his breath.

The Mad Max and Lethal Weapon star was allegedly driving his Lexus LS430 near his $31 million Malibu mansion at 2.30am on Friday, when he was detected travelling at 140km/h - 67km/h above the limit.

Gibson was arrested after he failed a field sobriety test beside LA's Pacific Coast Highway, LA County Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said.

Gibson was taken to the nearby Malibu/Lost Hills sheriff's station, where his mugshot was taken and he was cited for a suspected DUI offence. He was released 90 minutes later, at 4.06am, after blowing 0.12 on a breathalyser. The limit in California is .08.

Gibson will not be formally charged until detectives with the sheriff's office send a file to the local District Attorney some time this week.

California is notoriously strict on drink driving. Mandatory sentencing laws force judges to jail first offenders for a minimum of 96 hours and fine them between $390 and $1000, a County Attorney's office spokesman said.

[olger]

Interesting that they state the speed limits in kilometers, instead of mph. Miles would mean more in America. They also omit any reference to his Passion movie, unless I missed something.

gcw

[Gerr]

Nope. I just left there. No kph in CA. Just mph! And what's the big deal? He was only doing 87.5 mph, unless of course he was doing this in a 45 mph zone.

Gerry

[Halfstep Denise]

What's the big deal, you say, Gerry? Driving 87 mph isn't legal anywhere in California, let alone doing it drunk!

It's also a miracle that Mel Gibson found a road that he could drive 87 mph, especially in Southern California! You're lucky if you can even get up to the speed limit on the freeways!

Halfstep Denise <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

[Dr. Shane]

Well, if he was a member of AA and fell off the wagon, this could be a blessing in disguise. Thankfully no one was killed. I am sure California's drunk driving laws are not as strict as I would like them. I know Texas' are not.

It reminds me of a Joe Walsh song:

[:"blue"] My Masarati does one-eighty-five.

I lost my license, now I don't drive.

I have a limo, ride in the back.

I lock the doors in case I'm attacked. [/]

[Halfstep Denise]

I love the song, Shane!

There probably isn't a state in the U.S. that has drinking and driving laws strict enough to satisfy me! Been there, done that with an ex-husband who had a problem with being drunk and driving. Notice I said "ex"!

I hope you're right in that it may be a blessing in disguise for Mel Gibson.

Halfstep Denise <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

[Gerr]

There are some places where the speed limit is 75 mph. And the cops won't probably bother you if you are not doing 10 mph above the speed limit.

The freeways usually become unclogged after 10 pm., and certainly by midnight.

Gerry

[LynnDel]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Interesting that they state the speed limits in kilometers, instead of mph. Miles would mean more in America

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Find out where Neil got his info, and we'll probably discover why they state the speed in kilometers.

LD

[Norman Byers, N.D.]

I found this online

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=100&ObjectID=10393560

He needs our prayers.

Norman

[Neil D]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

LynnDel said:

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Interesting that they state the speed limits in kilometers, instead of mph. Miles would mean more in America

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Find out where Neil got his info, and we'll probably discover why they state the speed in kilometers.

LD

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

At the time that I clicked on the link, I was in Googles top stories. If you go to the news under Google, check out the entertainment section. The story probably came from either a britsh or Ozzie newspaper...And since Mel is Ozzie, chances are I got this from an Ozzie Newspaper.

But as for the origional story, sorry, can't produce it. But you can find lots of others articles on Mel and his bad driving behavior in the same section.

PS- found it..Here is the URL

[CyberGuy]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

There are some places where the speed limit is 75 mph. And the cops won't probably bother you if you are not doing 10 mph above the speed limit.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

This is true. I drive 75 MPH on the Interstate 5 in central california and cars pass me going 85 and no one stops them. It depends where you are and how busy the highway is.

[bonnie]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Gerry Cabalo said:

Nope. I just left there. No kph in CA. Just mph! And what's the big deal? He was only doing 87.5 mph, unless of course he was doing this in a 45 mph zone.

Gerry

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

If he had been drinking any speed is to much. He has no business behind the wheel. NONE, Especially speeding. It could have been a very big deal to an innocent family.

[Kountzer]

Hey Shane,

I described how tought Tx is on drunk driving, and some of the fines people face for dwi. It may not seem like much on paper, but if someone is facing those penalties, they can put a hole in your pockets fast.

The thing about drunk driving and alcohol is that it is a big business. The consumption of alcohol is interwoven and deeply embedded into the american way of life. It was like that before prohibition, it is definitely like that now. Alcohol is the # 1 drug, not cocaine, and its derivatives, not heroin, but alcohol. And alcohol is everywhere. The gov't taxes and makes money off of it, the distributors make $, the restaurants make $$. You can't open a convenience store and expect to survive unless you sell alcohol and other vices.

Also, we live in an open society. No sharia law here. People work long hours, they get off and go to a bar or a tex mex place, and buy a beer or two, to unwind. Some people can draw the line as to when enough is enough, and even many of them are legally drunk, but don't get caught, and some go overboard.

Unless you have cops on every other street corner checking IDs and take breathalizer samples, there is only so much state legislatures can do. They have the proponents of stiffer enforcement telling them one thing, and beer and alcohol lobbyists, with deep pockets, whispering in their other ear and telling them something else.

D Bishop

[CyberGuy]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Unless you have cops on every other street corner checking IDs and take breathalizer samples, there is only so much state legislatures can do.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Actually there is something. There is a breath analyzer that one blows into and if you are legally drunk the computer will not allow the car to start. Many multiple drunk driving offenders are forced to have this device installed in their cars. It would prevent drunks from even starting their cars.

[Gerr]

I should have made myself more clear. I agree that the driving while under the influence was way too much. I was referring to his speed. If he had not been drinking, at the speed he was going with his rich/superstar, and his contributor to police programs status, that he would have just gotten a tap on the wrist.

Gerry

[bonnie]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Gerry Cabalo said:

I should have made myself more clear. I agree that the driving while under the influence was way too much. I was referring to his speed. If he had not been drinking, at the speed he was going with his rich/superstar, and his contributor to police programs status, that he would have just gotten a tap on the wrist.

Gerry

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Thanks for your explaination. I am surprised with his celebrity status he gets this much.

As for the above statement by another it is far to easy to blame the alcohol lobbyists. Generally we get what we tolerate.

The tobacco lobby is very powerful, and yet when J.Q public decided they didn't want to sit in restuarants and smell smoke, the tobacco lobby wasn't nearly as powerful. At least in MN those that smoke cannot do so in a public place. Why Not???

While that is a good thing I would rather have the choice of deciding whether I wanted to sit thru dinner in a public place with those that smoke, than no choice at all as to who is coming at me in a speeding car after a couple of beers or more.

Drinking is more acceptable to most, sadly even among some SDA's. For me, let me face a guy on the road with a cigerette in his mouth than one who has been drinking.

It is more a matter of what we approve of, decide we can tolerate than the power of the alcohol lobby. Cigerette smoking in public places was an activity the general public decided not to tolerate. Great progress has been made

Bonnie

[Dr. Shane]

I favor a mandatory 90 days in jail (with work release) for a first-time drunk driving offendor. Then they should lose their license for at least six months and be required to have a breatherlizer on their car for three years and not be allowed to drive any other vehicle for that time period. They should be fined between 15% and 35% of their net income for 3 to 6 months.

[Bravus]

Note that it said he was doing 140 kmh and this was 67 kmh over the speed limit. So a little basic maths tells me the speed limit was 73 kmh, which is... about 45 mph.

[Dr. Shane]

Here is his statement:

[:"blue"] "After drinking alcohol on Thursday night, I did a number of things that were very wrong and for which I am ashamed. I drove a car when I should not have, and was stopped by the LA County Sheriffs. The arresting officer was just doing his job and I feel fortunate that I was apprehended before I caused injury to any other person. 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 am deeply ashamed of everything I said. Also, I take this opportunity to apologize to the deputies involved for my belligerent behavior. They have always been there for me in my community and indeed probably saved me from myself. I disgraced myself and my family with my behavior and for that I am truly sorry. I have battled with the disease of alcoholism for all of my adult life and profoundly regret my horrific relapse. I apologize for any behavior unbecoming of me in my inebriated state and have already taken necessary steps to ensure my return to health."

[/]

[Toni]

I post on another website and this story took on a whole different discussion there! Not much mention of the speed at all. This is the article that was posted there http://www.tmz.com/2006/07/28/gibsons-anti-semitic-tirade-alleged-cover-up.

Warning...it does contain some bad words that are crossed out, but you can pretty much figure out what they are.

I suppose alcohol can reveal your true feelings?

[bonnie]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Norman said:

I found this online

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=100&ObjectID=10393560

He needs our prayers.

Norman

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Response is interesting, except for the exception of this post.

What is the big concern?

1.The fact that Gibson is possibly anti-semtic?

2.He was risking his own life, possibly cutting short his time to make his decision for eternal life?

3. He was risking the lives of another, possibly an entire family?

4. Maybe before one or more of this family had made their decision to for God?

For me, I don't care his religious preference. If he has a religious belief, I don't care what his nationality and I don't care that he may be a anti-semtic or racist of any kind. I don't want to face the likes of him coming at me head on ,on the freeway.

The big story is his remarks, not the real potential for killing himself or innocent people

[Gail]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Toni said:

I suppose alcohol can reveal your true feelings?

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

It can remove your inhibitions and then stuff will come out that you will regret in the morning

[Kountzer]

The Passion of Christ had very definite and noticable anti-semitic undertones.

[Dr. Shane]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

I suppose alcohol can reveal your true feelings?

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

What I saw in the story was a drunk lashing out and trying to hurt someone. He believed the policeman was a jew and that is why he was saying what he was saying. Had the policeman been black or hispanic he would have been making the appropriate racial slurs. While he may be anti-semetic, I dont't think the anti-semetic remarks in that context really means he is. If he were calm and sober, addressing a convention, and making such remarks, then one could conclude he is anti-semetic.

[Dr. Shane]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

The Passion of Christ had very definite and noticable anti-semitic undertones.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

How could one honestly make such a movie without anti-semitic undertones. Isn't the New Testiment anti-semitic? "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." John 1:11