The recent “final” fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather garnered a great deal of attention. The factors which led to the level of interest in the fight included the money involved, the skill of the competitors, and the troubled history of Mayweather. Mayweather, a five-division world champion boxer, has a history of alleged violent crimes against women. Some of the charges of domestic abuse were dropped, others resulted in a current lawsuit and two months spent behind bars. One of the allegations claimed Mayweather struck his daughter’s mother with a car door, punched her in the neck and left the scene. Despite the serious nature of these allegations, Mayweather has continued to enjoy an extremely successful career, raking in huge amounts of money. Unfortunately, Floyd Mayweather is not the only celebrity who has been accused of domestic violence. Some other celebrities who have gained notoriety for all the wrong reasons include:

• Charlie Sheen, actor and well-known bad boy reportedly attempted to choke his wife, Brook Mueller, in 2009. Thirteen years before this incident, Sheen pleaded no contest to charges he attacked his then-girlfriend.
• Domestic violence is not always committed by men. Carmen Electra was arrested following a domestic dispute with her husband Dennis Rodman, star of the NBA. Rodman was also arrested.
• After being arrested in 2006 for drunk driving, four years later actor Mel Gibson pled no contest to battering his wife at the time.
• While actor Sean Penn was married to singer, Madonna, he was arrested for domestic assault of his wife. Later, Penn spent more than a month in jail for punching a photographer.
• Actor Nicolas Cage allegedly pushed his wife outside a tattoo shop, then punched and kicked nearby vehicles in 2011. Cage was subsequently arrested and charged with domestic battery and disturbing the peace.
• Actor Gary Busey was taken into custody for allegations of domestic violence after an argument with his wife in Malibu. Tiana Busey claimed her husband grabbed her and wrestled her to the ground. In 1997 Busey allegedly struck a flight attendant after she accidentally bumped into him. No criminal charges were filed.
• Arrested in 1997 for domestic violence, actor Christian Slater served 59 days in prison after assaulting his girlfriend, Michelle Jonas.
• In 2004, actor Josh Brolin was arrested for domestic violence after he allegedly hit his wife of four months, actress Diane Lane.
• Evel Knievel, well-known daredevil, was arrested for domestic abuse in 1996 after he allegedly beat his much-younger wife during an argument. His wife, Krystal Kennedy, refused to press charges.
• Few could forget football star O.J. Simpson’s long history of domestic violence. Although he was charged with the murder of his wife in 1994, he was acquitted. Many still believe he is guilty.
• Singer Tina Turner was abused for many years by her husband, Ike Turner. The abuse finally led Tina to leave Ike and seek a divorce. Tina reportedly left her marriage with less than a dollar to her name.
• Country singer Glen Campbell also had a history of domestic violence, and when he was married to country singer Tanya Tucker, she claimed he assaulted her on multiple occasions. Tucker has even said her two front teeth are not real due to a hit to the mouth from Campbell.
• Julia Robert’s brother, Eric Roberts, was charged with domestic violence in 1995, after he shoved his wife, Eliza Garrett, into a wall. More recently, Roberts defended his daughter, actress Emma Roberts after she and her boyfriend were engaged in a domestic dispute.

Further Reading: Steps to Take if Falsely Accused of a Crime

While celebrities who commit domestic violence garner much more publicity, it rarely harms their career. Domestic violence is a very serious issue, with one in four women experiencing domestic violence during her lifetime. More than 60 percent of all domestic violence incidents happen at home, and domestic violence is considered to be the third leading cause of homelessness among families. Women between the ages of 18 and 34 are at the greatest risk of becoming victims of domestic violence, and one in three female homicide victims are murdered by their current or former partner each year.

Contact Our Denver Domestic Violence Lawyers

If you have are the victim of domestic violence it is crucial to get out of the situation before it escalates. An experienced attorney can help you with the legal aspects of getting out of a dangerous situation. Contact the Boulder criminal defense lawyers at Steven Louth Law Offices today for a free consultation and review of your case. Call us at (303) 422-2297 to start building a solid defense against these serious criminal charges.