Mel Gibson charged with misdemeanor battery

(CBS/AP) LOS ANGELES - Prosecutors charged Mel Gibson on Friday with misdemeanor battery after a lengthy investigation into a 2010 fight with his then-girlfriend at the actor's Malibu home.

The complaint accuses the Oscar-winner of "willfully and unlawfully" using force and violence against Oksana Grigorieva, a Russian musician.

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Read more: Gibson reportedly gets plea deal with no jail time

Gibson, 55, was scheduled to appear in court later in the day.

A source familiar with the case has said the actor-director will accept a plea agreement to resolve the case stemming from a January 2010 dispute. The person was not authorized to discuss details of the agreement and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

On Wednesday, it was reported that Gibson's plea agreement will involve counseling but the actor is not expected to serve jail time.

His attorney Blair Berk said in a statement released earlier this week that Gibson opted to end the case without fighting it because of the potential impact on his children, including a 16-month-old daughter, Lucia, with Grigorieva.

"It is with only that in mind that he asked me to approach the district attorney with a proposal that would bring all of this to an immediate end," Berk's statement reads.

The battery charge was another blow to Gibson's reputation, which took a major hit after his 2006 arrest for drunken driving. A deputy's report leaked to the celebrity website TMZ revealed the action star had used anti-Semitic and sexist slurs. His conviction was later expunged.

Recordings leaked last year during his custody battle with Grigorieva also contained racist and sexist taunts by the actor during a series of tirades.

Gibson has not publicly addressed the recordings, which were given to sheriff's investigators and widely circulated by RadarOnline.com.

Gibson is suspected of striking Grigorieva on Jan. 6, 2010, although she did not report it until months later. The Sheriff's Department opened its investigation in July, and later began an ongoing probe into Gibson's claim that Grigorieva had attempted to extort him (On Friday, prosecutors announced that Grigorieva will not be chargedwith extortion after they found insufficient evidence to prove the actor's accusation.)

By then, the pair had broken up and reached a confidential custody agreement regarding their daughter. While the exact details are not public, Gibson's attorney said last year the actor was paying for a house and car for Grigorieva along with child care.

The former couple has appeared opposite each other several times in a family law court that has heard issues related to child care, financial issues and evidence in the criminal investigations of both parents.

The district attorney's office did not announce a decision Friday on whether Grigorieva would face any criminal charges.