Trial for Mel's Prayer Partner
Mel Gibson may be a religious man, but he apparently doesn't like to pray with strangers.
A drifter who has logged time in several mental hospitals in the West has been ordered to stand trial on a felony count of stalking The Passion of the Christ director.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Leland Harris ruled Thursday that there was enough evidence to warrant a trial for Zack Sinclair, who has been arrested twice for harassing the Oscar-winning, Australian-born megastar.
Gibson claims Sinclair's sketchy behavoir started Sept. 17, when the man demanded to see the actor, "saying that he wanted to pray with me," per Gibson's complaint. Sinclair was told to go away at the time, but the alleged harassment was just beginning.
Two days later, Gibson says Sinclair wandered into Gibson's church, "approached me, interrupted my worship, stood extremely close (approximately six inches) from me and demanded that I pray with him."
Then on Sept. 20, perhaps seeking a more impromptu prayer session, Sinclair showed up at the Braveheart star's Malibu digs sans invitation.
That incident led police to corral the persistent 34-year-old for trespassing. The unannounced home visit so spooked Gibson that he sought a restraining order barring Sinclair from coming into contact with the star.
Sinclair, who also fancied himself a pen pal of Gibson's--allegedly sending several "alarming, harassing and annoying" missives--was again arrested Oct. 7 and charged with the stalking count.
Gibson has so far declined comment on the matter.
Sinclair, meanwhile, remains jailed on $500,000 bail and is due back in court for arraignment on Dec. 16. The charges carry a maximum sentence of three years in prison.





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