Gibson arrest officer 'suffered'

A judge has said a jury should decide if a sheriff’s deputy who arrested Mel Gibson for drunken driving faced discrimination after the incident because of his religion.

Deputy James Mee claims his supervisors at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department discriminated against him because he is Jewish.

He said his advancement opportunities were diminished after Gibson made a series of anti-Semitic comments during his 2006 arrest.

Superior Court Judge Barbara Scheper ruled today that jurors should decide whether Mr Mee suffered discrimination and endured a hostile work environment. She also raised many pointed questions about whether he could persuade a jury.

Judge Scheper dismissed Mr Mee’s claim that he suffered retaliation after Gibson’s arrest.

The sheriff’s department has denied the claims. The trial is scheduled to begin on February 14.