Mel Gibson custody battle back in LA court

Lawyers for Mel Gibson and his estranged girlfriend squared off in court on Thursday in a bitter custody dispute over their baby daughter after a week of damaging, ranting phone calls leaked to an online web site.

The now infamous tapes, which appear to feature Gibson cursing and threatening former girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, have been handed over to police investigating allegations of domestic abuse by the Oscar-winning movie star.                                           

Los Angeles County Sheriff''s spokesman told media that recordings were handed over during a closed-door session of the family court. A representative for Gibson has neither confirmed nor denied the tapes' existence or content, and on Thursday again declined to comment on the matter citing litigation between the two.

Grigorieva, 40, a Russian-born model and singer, was said to be trying to wrest shared custody of her nine-month-old daughter away from Gibson,54. Late on Thursday, celebrity news website TMZ.com cited unnamed sources as telling it that the family law judge left visitation as it is, for now. 

The tapes, which some reports claim may have been altered, are seen as crucial evidence in a case in which Grigorieva has claimed Gibson abused her. Celebrity website RadarOnline on Thursday released a fifth recording in which a panting Gibson again delivers a string of expletives at Grigorieva.  

Lawyers for the pair declined comment on Thursday as dozens of reporters and camera crews staked out the Los Angeles courthouse. Neither Gibson nor Grigorieva were believed to be at the hearing. 

TMZ.com said Gibson's former wife of 28 years, Robyn, has made a sworn statement saying the actor never engaged in any physical abuse of any kind toward her or their seven children.

The "Lethal Weapon" and Braveheart" actor went public about his romance with Grigorieva last summer, shortly after filing for divorce from his wife. But Gibson and Grigorieva were reported in April to have split up, in what unnamed sources said at the time was an amicable parting.