Gibson reaches plea deal for drunk driving charges

Actor Mel Gibson, who ignited a furor with his anti-Semitic rant after being stopped for speeding last month, pleaded no contest on Thursday to a drunken driving charge and was spared jail time in a deal with prosecutors.

Gibson, who was placed on probation for three years, did not appear in Malibu Superior Court for the hearing. The Academy Award-winning director and actor could have faced up to six months in jail if he had gone to trial and been convicted.

The whereabouts of the 50-year-old star were unknown, but his lawyer said his client was willing to enter a rehab program immediately.

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