Mel Gibson Case: No Contest

Out of the spotlight, and more than a month before his scheduled arraignment, Mel Gibson sought a quiet ending Thursday for his notorious drunken-driving bust.

The Oscar-winning star, through his lawyer, pleaded no contest to a single misdemeanor count of driving under the influence, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said.

Gibson, 50, was sentenced to three years probation, fined $1,600 and ordered to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and enroll in what was described as a three-month-long "alcohol-abuse program." It was not believed the program called for live-in treatment.

The actor-director, arrested July 28 while allegedly in the company of an open bottle of tequila, was not present in the Malibu courtroom.

Gibson wasn't scheduled to answer to charges until Sept. 28. But on Thursday morning, the star's legal team approached prosecutors with a plea deal, D.A. spokeswoman Jane Robison said.

There was no comment from Gibson's publicist.

Gibson's publicist did not return a call seeking comment.

By avoiding a trial, Gibson avoids the potential embarrassment of having tapes of his reputed arrest-night rant about the "f--king Jews" played in open court. The D.A.'s office said the tapes, turned over to prosecutors by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, would only be made public if, and when, they were introduced as trial evidence.

After the text of his reputed tirade was first reported by TMZ.com, Gibson admitted to acting "out of control," copped to an alcoholic relapse and apologized to "everyone in the Jewish community."

According to the D.A.'s office, Gibson offered to begin rehab treatment "immediately." It was unclear if that meant live-in or outpatient rehab. Last month, the actor specified his problem (i.e.,. drinking), but not its solution (i.e., "an ongoing program of recovery").

Gibson was pulled over in the early morning hours of July 28 after allegedly zooming along Malibu's Pacific Coast Highway in a 2006 Lexus LS at "more than" 85 mph, authorities said.

On Aug. 2, Gibson was charged with two misdemeanor DUI counts, and one vehicle code infraction for the unrestrained tequila. In exchange for Thursday's plea, prosecutors dropped the code infraction and one of the DUI counts.

Gibson did not face any criminal charges for reputedly proclaiming "he owns Malibu," and addressing a female sheriff's deputy as "sugar tits."

In a statement Thursday, prosecutor Gina Satriano seemed to remind why Gibson was in legal trouble.

"This [plea and sentencing] was an appropriate outcome which addresses all the public safety concerns of drinking and driving," Satriano said.

Under order of Superior Court Judge Lawrence Mira, a veteran of the Robert Downey Jr. docket, Gibson must attend AA meetings for one year, and get by with a restricted driver's license for 90 days.

Gibson's account squared, for now, with law enforcement, his case is still under review in Hollywood.

The "f--king Jews" quote drew scorn from Deuce Bigalow star Rob Schneider and agent Ari Emanuel, and prompted ABC to cut ties with Gibson on a proposed Holocaust miniseries. Jodie Foster and Patrick Swayze offered testimony for the defense, saying Gibson was a good guy.

Gibson's post-scandal appeal could be tested at the box office in December, when Disney is scheduled to release his latest movie, Apocalypto, in which he directed everyone to speak Mayan.

Once the toast, if not the king, of Hollywood, Gibson won two Oscars for Braveheart, and starred in the Lethal Weapon franchise. In 2004, he released his biggest-money-making and most controversial movie, The Passion of the Christ, in which he directed most everyone to speak Aramaic.