Halle Berry’s attorney called a courtroom maneuver a “witch hunt” after her ex-husband’s lawyer tried to reopen evidence over an Instagram Story.
The clash erupted Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court when Patrick Baghdaserians, who represents Olivier Martinez, 60, asked Judge Shelley Kaufman to let him question Berry, 60, about a message posted Monday on the actress’s Instagram account. The request came amid a nearly two-week hearing over custody of the former couple’s 13-year-old son, Maceo.
Marina Beck, Berry’s attorney, blasted the move in open court.
“This sort of conduct is the reason we are here today,” Baghdaserians argued, claiming the post was “disturbing my client’s peace, disturbing my client’s calm.”
Beck fired back that the filing was nothing more than a desperate ploy. “They just intended to re-open evidence and continue their false narrative,” she said, adding that she believed the request was deliberately made in front of reporters.
Baghdaserians pushed back, saying he did not care about the media presence and noting that the post had appeared on Berry’s own Instagram page immediately after evidence closed.
Judge Kaufman denied the motion to reopen evidence. The courtroom was then cleared for closing arguments, and the court adjourned just before noon. A decision is expected Thursday.
The post that triggered the dispute featured a pointed message: “If kids disrespect their moms, the root cause often traces back to the relationship with the father.” It has since been deleted.
The hearing stems from an increasingly contentious legal battle. Martinez is seeking sole custody of Maceo and a domestic violence restraining order against Berry. He accused her of physically abusing their son during an alleged Sept. 26 incident at her home, claiming she put her hands around the boy’s neck and choked him. A judge granted Martinez a temporary restraining order on Oct. 1, along with temporary primary physical custody of Maceo and restrictions on Berry’s parenting time. The order has since been extended while the court considers the allegations.
Berry has vehemently denied the allegations. Her attorney previously said in a statement that Martinez’s filing is “entirely meritless and deliberately misleading.”
Berry has countered that Martinez has interfered with Maceo’s education and therapeutic care and drawn their son into their legal dispute. She is asking the court to dismiss the restraining-order request, restore their previous 50-50 physical custody arrangement, and give her sole legal authority over decisions involving their son’s education and medical care.
Beck characterized the attempt to use the Instagram post as a “last-minute grasp at straws, nothing more than a witch hunt.”
A ruling in the custody and restraining order case is expected Thursday in Los Angeles.