Judge denies motion by lawyer for Mel Gibson's ex-girlfriend

A judge Thursday denied a motion by Oksana Grigorieva's lawyer that sought to limit what Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies could take from her computer and cellphone as part of an extortion investigation involving her ex-boyfriend, actor-producer Mel Gibson.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Scott Gordon said that if Daniel Horowitz, the attorney for Grigorieva, had issues with the way sheriff's officials were conducting their investigation, he could bring up the matter in criminal court.

But Gordon, who continues to handle the paternity case between Grigorieva and Gibson and signed a search warrant allowing detectives to search Grigorieva's computer, cellphone and other items, said it was not his role to involve himself in oversight of a criminal investigation.

Grigorieva's attorney said outside court that he was disappointed by the judge's ruling, saying that the computer and phone files copied by sheriff's deputies were highly personal. But he acknowledged that there was no evidence that any of those materials had been disseminated or that detectives had not acted in good faith.

"It's not embarrassing, it's private," Horowitz said. "Private things should not be seen by law enforcement officers."

But sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said that what Horowitz was objecting to was standard operating procedure for law enforcement investigations.

"All investigations are personal and private, that's why law enforcement investigators don't talk about them," Whitmore said. "The judge did the right thing by letting the Sheriff's Department do its job. The motion should have never been filed."

Sheriff's detectives continue to investigate whether Grigorieva or someone close to her extorted money from the actor, Whitmore said. The department had previously completed an investigation into whether the actor hit Grigorieva and had turned over its findings to the district attorney's office.

No suspect has been named in the extortion case, but investigators have reviewed evidence that includes text messages and e-mails, and have interviewed Gibson, two of Grigorieva's former attorneys, and others involved in the couple's messy breakup and paternity battle.

Grigorieva reiterated outside court that she was not involved in any extortion.

"I am not an extortionist," said Grigorieva, flanked by her lawyers on the steps of the civil courthouse. "I've never asked for any money at all."

 -- Andrew Blankstein
twitter.com/anblanx

Comments

[Ann]

Glad to see the judge do this.

[StephenG]

This woman is so dense.

When her lawyers (or others) demand money on her behalf--it is the same as her demanding money. Especially where (as here) her demand for $15 million for the tapes never to see the light of day is agreed to by Mel, the deal memo is typed up at the mediation and she signed it.

In her mind, though, she has never personally demanded money.

Good Lord, just who does she think just went to court and asked the judge to increase her child support from $5,000 to $20,000?

It’s called asking for money.

God I hope they charge this grifter.

[u know]

Private???LOL yeah right, hey Horowitz tell your client to stop giving interviews to People Magazine, TMZ, and whoever else will listen to her since she is so "private".

Sounds like someone has something to hide and it's about to be found by law enforcement. I hope the gold digger gets burned.

[JR]

Grigorieva's argument (made through her lawyer du jour) was that her computer had her music on it and she was afraid it might be compromised by LA Sheriff's deputies. Yeah, right.... As if the LA sheriff's deputies could give a hoot about her singing/songwriting.