All couples have their share of disagreements; however there are extreme cases where things escalate too far and legal assistance becomes necessary.  On Christmas Day 2009 at 3:30 a.m., Charlie Sheen and wife, Brooke Mueller Sheen, had an argument that escalated into a death threat. According to an affidavit, Brooke Mueller Sheen told Sheen that she wanted a divorce and would get custody over their twin boys. At that moment, Sheen reportedly held a knife to her throat and stated: “You better be in fear. If you tell anybody, I’ll kill you…I have ex-police I can hire who know how to get the job done and they won’t leave any trace.”

In her 911 call, Brooke Mueller Sheen stated: “I thought I was gonna die for one hour.” Sheen denied threatening his wife with a knife or choking her. Sheen claimed that he and his wife were having marital problems and that she abuses alcohol.  Sheen also told police he that was very upset with her threat of divorce because of his prior experiences (with ex-wife Denise Richards) and surrendered a folding knife with a 4-inch blade. Fox News Report; CNN Report.

Under New York Domestic Relations law Section 170, a spouse may seek a divorce on the grounds of adultery, imprisonment, abandonment, cruel and inhumane treatment and “no fault conversion.” A spouse seeking to gain a divorce based on cruel and inhumane treatment must demonstrate that serious misconduct by the other spouse is endangering their mental or physical well-being.  Further, they must show that the conduct renders it improper or unsafe for the injured spouses to cohabit with the cruel spouse. Additionally, a court will examine the duration of the marriage as a critical factor when considering granting a divorce based on this ground.

As a domestic relation firm in New York, Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C. works to achieve successful divorce judgments that are in the best interests of their clients and their clients children.  The firm handles a full range of domestic relations issues including child support, child custody, spousal maintenance, as well as the equitable distribution of assets.  If you are seeking a separation agreement, divorce decree, or help with any other family law related issues contact Leeds, Morelli & Brown, PC at 1-800-585-4658 for a free consultation or view their web page at www.lmblaw.com.