Olivier Martinez, ex-husband of actress Halle Berry, is accusing her of physically abusing their son Maceo, leading to a temporary restraining order that limits Berry's parenting time until an Oct. 16 court hearing. Martinez seeks sole custody and claims Berry choked Maceo during a September incident and has a history of abuse. Berry denies the allegations as "absolutely false," stating they were playful roughhousing. The couple divorced in 2023 with joint custody, but now face a legal battle over custody arrangements.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-09,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Halle Berry is denying child abuse claims by her ex-husband.
uncertain
Berry → deny → husband
Here's what we know
A temporary restraining order is in place ahead of an Oct. 16 hearing
Halle Berry is denying allegations by her ex-husband Olivier Martinez that she physically abused their 13-year-old son, Maceo, as the former couple heads toward an Oct. 16 court hearing over custody and a restraining order.
asserted
couple → know → custody
Martinez has asked for sole legal and physical custody of Maceo and a restraining order against Berry, alleging she was violent toward their son during a Sept. 26 incident and claiming a history of abuse, according to court documents obtained by CBC News.
uncertain
she → ask → News
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge granted a temporary restraining order on Oct. 1, restricting Berry's parenting time and ordering her to stay 100 yards from Martinez until the hearing.
asserted
judge → grant → hearing
The judge denied Martinez's request that Berry's sobriety be monitored, citing insufficient information.
asserted
sobriety → deny → information
Berry has denied the allegations, calling them "absolutely false" and stating that she has "never physically, emotionally or otherwise abused Maceo."
asserted
she → deny → Maceo
She described the Sept. 26 incident as playful roughhousing that escalated into an argument and is asking the court to restore their 50-50 custody arrangement.
asserted
that → describe → arrangement
Berry and Martinez married in 2013, welcomed Maceo later that year and finalized their divorce in 2023 with a joint custody arrangement.
asserted
Berry → marry → arrangement
Actors Olivier Martinez, left, and Halle Berry attend the premiere of the CBS science-fiction drama Extant at the California Science Center in Los Angeles in June 2014.
asserted
Martinez → attend → June
Here's how the legal battle has unfolded
Oct. 1:
asserted
battle → unfold → ?
Martinez seeks restraining order, sole custody
Martinez files a request for a temporary restraining order covering both himself and Maceo, writing that he needed protection because Berry "physically abused our son by jumping on him and choking him" on Sept. 26.
asserted
Berry → seek → Sept.
He also asked the court to modify their 50-50 custody arrangement and require Berry to undergo sobriety monitoring.
asserted
He → ask → monitoring
In his declaration, viewed by CBC News, Martinez says he received a frantic call from Maceo asking to be picked up and could hear Berry yelling in the background.
uncertain
Berry → view → background
He alleges the confrontation began while Maceo was playing a game in his bedroom and that Berry pushed him before grabbing him around the neck and choking him.
asserted
Berry → allege → him
Martinez also alleges "there have been other instances of abuse over the course of the last few years."
asserted
Martinez → allege → years
His filing references text messages between him and Berry, including one in which she says: "I feel terrible about what happened last night as I know he does as well."
asserted
he → reference → which
Nahla defends her mother
Nahla, Berry's 18-year-old daughter with ex-partner Gabriel Aubry, filed a declaration defending her mother.
asserted
defends → defend → mother
"I have never seen my mom hit, slap, choke, grab, or physically abuse Maceo in any way," Nahla wrote in a declaration.
asserted
Nahla → see → declaration
Halle Berry speaks during SiriusXM's Front Row Series with the cast of Crime 101 at SiriusXM Studios in New York City in February 2026.
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Berry → speak → February
Berry pushes back
Oct. 4:
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Berry → push → ?
Berry challenges allegations
Berry's lawyer submitted court documents disputing Martinez's allegations and pointing to what Berry described as previous violations of court orders and legal sanctions involving their son's needs.
Berry's legal team also says video evidence contradicts Martinez's account.
Oct. 5:
asserted
evidence → challenge → account
Berry gives her account
asserted
Berry → give → account
Berry filed a declaration directly denying Martinez's allegations and describing what she says happened on Sept. 26.
asserted
she → file → Sept.
"I have never physically, emotionally, or otherwise abused Maceo," Berry wrote.
asserted
Berry → abuse → Maceo
"I am a victim of domestic violence, and I help victims of domestic violence."
asserted
I → help → violence
She added: "I am not a perpetrator of violence.
asserted
I → add → violence
I would never hurt our child."
asserted
I → hurt → child
She said she went into Maceo's room to tell him it was time to stop playing a game and began recording him when he continued.
asserted
he → say → him
Berry said that when Maceo noticed her filming, he grabbed her phone and they began "playfully roughhousing," something she says they "frequently do."
She denied putting her hands around Maceo's neck, choking him or restricting his breathing.
Berry said Maceo then "unexpectedly" became upset "after the playfulness ended" and pushed her.
asserted
playfulness → say → her
Then she tried to take his gaming headset off.
asserted
she → try → headset
She said her fiancé, Van Hunt, got between them before Maceo said he would call his father and leave the house.
asserted
he → say → house
Berry said that while Maceo "may not always like the rules I set," he requires "structure and continuous contact with his mother rather than a separation resulting from cruel, manufactured claims."
Berry is asking the court to restore the previous 50-50 custody arrangement.
The next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 16, when the court is expected to consider whether the temporary restrictions should remain in place or be changed.
uncertain
restrictions → say → place
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