Lawyers Point Fingers In O'Neal Fight

The battle between Ryan O'Neal and his son Griffin that led to the actor's arrest at his Malibu home last weekend turned into a war of words in law offices Wednesday. Their attorneys each charged that the other side was responsible for the fight in which a fireplace poker was swung and a gun fired.

Joanna Berry, who is expecting a baby with Griffin O'Neal at the end of March, suffered facial lacerations that took eight stitches to close, as well as head trauma and a corneal abrasion during the confrontation, said attorney Gloria Allred who is representing Griffin O'Neal and Berry.

"We vigorously reject any assertion that the injuries suffered by Joanna and Griffin were as a result of Ryan O'Neal's acting in self-defense," Allred said, reading a statement handed to reporters at the beginning of a news conference in her office.

Ryan O'Neal's attorney, Mark Werksman, countered quickly with his own news conference.

"Ryan O'Neal is the victim and was attacked by his own son, with his own poker," Werksman said. "It's regrettable that Griffin is trying to make a public spectacle out of this family tragedy."

Werksman said O'Neal's other son, Redmond, was in the house at the time and the fight occurred over how Griffin has treated Redmond. Werksman said Redmond is currently in drug treatment.

O'Neal, who was arrested for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon and negligent discharge of a firearm, has said he fired a "warning shot" to scare his 42-year-old son, Griffin, away after he came at him with a fireplace poker. He said his son struck Berry, 22, with the poker during the fight.

Berry and Griffin O'Neal were at Allred's news conference, but they did not speak to reporters.

"Because they may be called to testify if a criminal case is filed, they will not be making any statements to the press in order to protect the integrity of the criminal process," Allred said, adding that the pair were cooperating with investigators.

Allred said that she had no comment on whether a suit for monetary damages would be filed against Ryan O'Neal. She also said that she will not comment on whether he should be charged with a crime until after the investigation is completed.

"I think the DA will make that decision based on all of the facts after they make a full investigation," she said.

She declined to answer any questions regarding the details of the case.

"I don't want to affect the integrity of the case by commenting on who was there, what happened, when it happened, why it happened, or to whom it happened, except to say that it's very clear that the injuries caused to my clients were not self-inflicted," she said.

Sheriff's officials said they hope to present the O'Neal case to the district attorney's office by Friday. County prosecutors will review the findings to decide whether charges should be filed.

Werksman said he and his client believe Griffin O'Neal was drunk at the time and became violent when his father asked him to leave.

Asked if Griffin O'Neal was under the influence of drugs the night of the fight, Allred said he was not.

The O'Neals' problems have a long history.

In 1983, police came to the O'Neal home after a fight in which the elder O'Neal knocked out two of Griffin's teeth, the Los Angeles Times has reported. No charges were filed.

Griffin O'Neal was found guilty of reckless boating in a 1986 accident that killed Gian-Carlo Coppola, son of film director Francis Ford Coppola, and got an 18-day jail sentence for not performing 400 hours of community service as ordered.

He pleaded no contest to drunken driving in 1989 and was sentenced to probation. In 1992, he avoided a possible three-year jail sentence by pleading no contest to charges he shot at an estranged girlfriend's unoccupied car. He agreed to spend a year in a live-in drug rehabilitation program and serve five years' probation.

Berry's first name and age provided by Allred were different from those reported by authorities. Sgt. Ken Scheurn at the Malibu sheriff's station said their records list her as JoAnne Berry, 22.