Gibson’s star treatment from cops over rant

A Los Angeles Sheriff's independent review has found that actor-director Mel Gibson "was treated differently" by police after his arrest for drunk driving in July 2006. His infamous anti-Semitic rant was removed from his file by officers when his arrest became public; he was not palm-printed, as is customary; and once he was released from jail he was given a lift to his impounded Lexus without official permission. "There was no legitimate law enforcement reason to treat him differently," Michael Gennaco, chief attorney for the Office of Independent Review, told reporters.

The censored portion of Gibson's arrest report was eventually leaked to the media. As a result, California lawmakers recently passed 'Mel's Law' which makes the sale of privileged information pertaining to the arrests of high-profile suspects a criminal act.

Gibson was arrested for drunk-driving in Malibu after a night of partying at a local restaurant. During his arrest, the censored portion of the police report says: 'Gibson became fixated on his notoriety and concern that this incident was going to be publicised'. He tried to run toward his car in a futile attempt to escape arrest.

Once he was apprehended, he denied that the tequila bottle found on his car's passenger side was his. Gibson's subsequent behaviour so "concerned and frightened" the officer that he called ahead to the station to brief them on the actor's conduct. Gibson ranted at the officer: "Fucking Jews. The Jews are responsible for all the war in the world. Are you a Jew?" In August 2006, he was sentenced to three years on probation, ordered to attend self-help meetings and fined $1,300.

The same Sheriff's report found that Paris Hilton did not receive preferential treatment during her arrest and jailing this summer on a drink-driving related charge. Gennaco said the heiress actually spent more time in the slammer than an average person would have.