Halle Berry refutes accusations made by her former spouse, Olivier Martinez, regarding the alleged physical abuse of their 13-year-old son, Maceo. The ex-couple is gearing up for a court hearing on Oct. 16 concerning custody and a restraining order.
Martinez is seeking sole legal and physical custody of Maceo, along with a restraining order against Berry, claiming she exhibited violent behavior towards their son during an incident on Sept. 26. Court documents obtained by CBC News reveal his assertions of a history of abuse.
A temporary restraining order was granted by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Oct. 1, limiting Berry’s parenting time and mandating a 100-yard distance from Martinez until the hearing. The judge dismissed Martinez’s plea for monitoring Berry’s sobriety due to insufficient evidence.
Denying the allegations, Berry labels them as “completely untrue,” asserting she has never mistreated Maceo in any way, be it physically, emotionally, or otherwise. She characterizes the Sept. 26 event as playful roughhousing that turned into a dispute and is petitioning the court to reinstate their previous 50-50 custody agreement.
The couple tied the knot in 2013, welcomed Maceo later that year, and finalized their divorce in 2023 with a shared custody arrangement.
In recent developments, Martinez filed for a restraining order and sole custody on Oct. 1, citing an incident where Berry purportedly physically abused Maceo. He also requested alterations to their custody arrangement and urged for Berry to undergo sobriety monitoring. Martinez’s declaration recounts a distressing call from Maceo seeking help while Berry was allegedly yelling in the background, detailing the purported altercation.
Berry’s daughter Nahla, from a previous relationship with Gabriel Aubry, defended her mother in a declaration on Oct. 3, refuting claims of any physical abuse towards Maceo.
Challenging Martinez’s claims, Berry’s legal team submitted court documents on Oct. 4, highlighting alleged breaches of court orders and previous legal violations concerning their son’s welfare. They also mention conflicting video evidence to counter Martinez’s narrative.
Berry submitted a declaration on Oct. 5 directly dismissing Martinez’s allegations and providing her version of the events on Sept. 26. She emphasized that she is a survivor of domestic violence and advocates for victims, vehemently denying any wrongdoing towards Maceo. Berry recounted the incident as innocent roughhousing that took an unexpected turn, leading to a confrontation.
The upcoming hearing scheduled for Oct. 16 will determine the fate of the temporary restrictions imposed and whether the custody arrangement will be altered.