In 2011, Mr. Gibson pleaded no contest in Los Angeles Superior Court to a misdemeanor charge of battering his former girlfriend as part of a deal with prosecutors that allowed him to avoid jail time. He received a sentence of community service, counseling and three years of probation, and was ordered to pay $570 in fines.

The "Lethal Weapon" star lost his firearm rights as a result of a 2011 domestic violence conviction. A former Department of Justice employee says that a dispute over Mel Gibson and lethal weapons led to her firing.

Liz Oyer was part of a DoJ committee reviewing applications to restore gun rights filed by people who lost them after being convicted of a relevant crime. Speaking to the New York Times, Oyer said she recommended that Gibson’s request be denied due to uncertainty about his conviction, insisting it was about “safety” and not Gibson’s politics.