Tyrese Gibson Calls Arrest for Court Contempt ‘Very Traumatic’

Tyrese Gibson publicly reacted on Tuesday regarding his recent arrest in Georgia, stemming from a court contempt ruling for unpaid child support.

The actor, known for his roles in the “Fast and the Furious” series, was taken into custody on Monday after Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kevin M. Farmer ordered him to pay more than $73,500 to his ex-wife, Samantha Lee. Gibson and Lee divorced in 2020 after three years of marriage.

During the hearing, the court found Gibson to be in “willful contempt” for allegedly failing to fulfill his child support obligations for their 5-year-old daughter, Soraya. Additionally, Gibson has a 17-year-old daughter named Shayla from a previous relationship. The judge determined that Gibson would remain detained until the payment was made, as indicated by court documents reviewed on Tuesday.

In response to the ruling, Gibson’s legal team filed a notice of their intention to appeal. However, representatives for the actor did not immediately provide further comments following the ruling.

According to reports from TMZ, once the court found Gibson in contempt, a bailiff handcuffed him and escorted him out of the courtroom. The New York Post noted that Gibson was detained but later released after failing to provide the $10,000 monthly child support mandated by the court.

After his release, Gibson addressed the incident on his Instagram Stories, describing the arrest as “very traumatic” and questioning why Judge Farmer seemed to harbor animosity towards him. He subsequently targeted his ex-wife’s attorney in another post, reiterating that the experience was not easy.

Gibson also shared links to appeal documents dated May 13, 2024, characterizing the process as a “nightmare” for the judge involved. Though it was uncertain whether these documents had been formally filed, they highlighted three main arguments for the appeal and referred to the child support demand as “over-reaching and punitive.”

Gibson’s attorneys, Tanya Mitchell Graham and Beverly L. Cohen, argued that an arbitrator in the divorce proceedings validated Gibson and Lee’s prenup but also invalidated part of it related to attorney fees, with Lee seeking $7,500 in fees.

They contended that Gibson had been consistently providing financial support for Soraya since her birth and during the divorce process at what they referred to as the highest Basic Child Support Obligation. The attorneys stated that awarding a retroactive lump sum for child support could deter other parents who voluntarily support their children during divorce proceedings without needing court intervention.

Moreover, they asserted that by awarding Lee child support with a significant income deviation, the court effectively allowed her to reduce her work hours, purchase a home, and cover half of their daughter’s school tuition, despite the court initially determining that alimony was unnecessary.

Gibson’s attorneys indicated in their appeal documents that rather than being recognized for his voluntary financial support, he was punished for doing the right thing. The attorneys did not respond swiftly to requests for additional clarification.

On Sunday, before his arrest, Gibson took to Instagram to accuse his ex-wife’s legal strategies as “goofy” while asserting his innocence, claiming that the couple’s prenup addressed all aspects of their 2020 divorce. He also shared insights on the responsibility and meaning of fatherhood in a series of posts leading up to and following his detention.

Following this series of events, the legal battle surrounding Tyrese Gibson and Samantha Lee continues to garner public attention.