Halle Berry responds to photos shared by 13-year-old son following new custody hearing update
Halle Berry has responded to the release of a photo taken by her 13-year-old son arguing that it doesn’t prove she did anything wrong.
The release of the image comes after allegations from Berry’s ex husband Olivier Martinez claiming that she abused their son.
Berry argued against Martinez’s claim that Maceo took a picture to prove ‘something happened’ during the alleged altercation, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.
The photo appears to show Berry in a room with her hands in her pockets. The 60-year-old says the photo shows her standing ‘calmly’, as reported by TMZ, and several feet away from her son. She also argues that there are no pictures showing any ‘bruises, redness or injuries’ to Maceo to support Martinez’s claims of abuse.
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The X-Men star’s eldest child, Nahla Aubry, defended her ‘loving and devoted’ mother in a testimony following allegations made by Martinez that Berry had been ‘violent’ towards their 13-year-old son in an alleged incident.
Martinez, 60, also made allegations about 'instances of abuse over the course of the last few years,' including 'additional physical attacks against our son.' He also claimed that there had been verbal and emotional abuse directed at himself. He was also granted a temporary restraining order against Berry earlier this month.
The French actor also alleged that Berry had caused him 'emotional and mental distress due to physical abuse of our minor child, Maceo'.
However, Berry's attorney has denied the claims. "To say this filing is entirely meritless and deliberately misleading would be an understatement," they said.
In court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Martinez has reportedly said his son wants to 'provide his side of the story' during the custody hearings.
Martinez filed for sole custody of Maceo on 1 October after claiming that Berry had ‘physically abused’ the boy while also alleging ‘other instances of abuse’ in recent years.
A hearing is scheduled for 16 October.
Berry has said she does not want her son to testify in court during their custody hearings. She claims that her ex is dismissing statements from eyewitnesses, including Nahla and her fiancé Van Hunt, who were present when the alleged incident took place on September 26.
“Van Hunt (“Van”) was physically present during the incident and is the only adult third-party eyewitness to the events at issue,” Berry explained in her declaration, as reported by PEOPLE. “Nahla Aubry has lived with Halle and Maceo for virtually Maceo’s entire life and is uniquely situated to observe their relationship, family dynamics, and Halle’s parenting over many years.”
“Rather than welcome testimony from these witnesses with direct personal knowledge, Olivier dismisses their observations while elevating the testimony of a neurodivergent thirteen-year-old child who has spent the last two weeks primarily in Olivier’s care and with whom Olivier admittedly has been discussing the allegations, the litigation, and his anticipated testimony.”
She urged the court against placing ‘substantial weight’ on the testimony of Maceo, who she described as a ‘coached and manipulated child’.
“Under these circumstances, the Court should be particularly cautious before placing substantial weight on testimony from a coached and manipulated child who has been repeatedly discussing the case with the parent seeking relief while discounting the testimony of adult witnesses with direct personal knowledge of the relevant events."
Martinez said in court documents that Maceo wants to address the court to 'provide his side of the story,' PEOPLE reports.
Tyla has contacted representatives for Berry and Martinez for comment.
Greg Harris