Kim Bassinger to go on trial in custody dispute

People Forum

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Kim Basinger will go to trial after pleading not guilty Wednesday to disregarding court orders concerning ex-husband Alec Baldwin's visitation rights with their daughter, a court official ordered.

Court papers filed by Baldwin allege that in 2005, the Academy Award-winning actress ignored court orders by not letting her ex-husband know she would be out of town working so that he could take care of their 10-year-old daughter until she returned.

On one occasion, Basinger also did not tell Baldwin their daughter, Ireland, was injured and required medical help, according to the court papers. The girl's injuries were not specified.

Basinger's attorney entered the pleas on her behalf to 12 misdemeanor counts of criminal contempt. The Academy Award-winning actress faces up to 60 days in jail and a $12,000 fine if convicted of all counts.

Superior Court Commissioner Maren E. Nelson set a tentative Jan. 15 date for the trial. Nelson also proposed February 16 as an alternative trial date.

Basinger's attorney, Neal R. Hersh, waived her right to be present during the trial. Baldwin, who lives in New York, will be among the witnesses at the bench trial, said his attorney, Vicki Greene.

Baldwin, 48, and Basinger, 52, separated in 2000 after seven years of marriage. The visitation issue had originally been resolved in March 2004, with the two agreeing to share custody.

Basinger won an Oscar for 1997's "L.A. Confidential." Baldwin was nominated for an Oscar for 2003's "The Cooler."

These two are ridiculous. Their constant bickering and complaining about their custody rights are gonna ruin their daughter, and their relationship with their daughter. Why can't they just agree on every other week or so like NORMAL people. The only thing worse than a divorce, i would think, is a BAD divorce. who wants to see their parents COMPETING! That's what this seems like. If I were the daughter, i'd go live with an aunt or something til her parents GROW UP.

Did they see the movie, "Irreconcilable Differences" They should!!!!

Here's a quote from the movie (Drew Barrymore was great in it... but I LOVED this part):

Casey Brodsky: I'm just a kid, and I don't know what I'm doing sometimes. But I think you should know better when you're all grown up. I think you should know how to act, and how to treat people. And I think if you once loved someone enough to marry them, you should at least be nice to them, even if you don't love 'em any more. And I think if you have a child, you should treat that child like a human being and not like a pet. Not like you treat your dog or somethin'. You know, when you have a dog sometimes you forget he's there, and then when you get lonely suddenly you remember him, and you remember how cute he is and stuff, and you kiss him a lot, but then the next day when you're busy again you don't notice him. That's how I've been treated for the past 4 years, and you don't treat your kid like your dog. It's not right.