Michael Madsen's attorney is addressing the “Reservoir Dogs” star's arrest at his Malibu home over the weekend, claiming Madsen has been having an “ongoing problem” with his ex-wife.
Attorney Perry Wander said in a statement to the Times on Friday that DeAnna Madsen “broke into” the actor’s Malibu home. The two have been estranged for years and she no longer lives with the star of “The Hateful Eight,” he said.
“She went into his house and he confronted her and asked her to leave. This has been an ongoing issue,” Wander said.
Wander said his client has asked him to get a restraining order against her and file for divorce, but “because she has a minor child, she has been delaying it.” He also said DeAnna will not press charges against the actor.
The attorney said DeAnna “has not been stable” since the 2022 suicide death of her eldest son.
“Michael has shown immense compassion and restraint during this period towards his ex-wife. He is definitely not guilty of domestic violence,” Wander said.
The 66-year-old Quentin Tarantino film star and his wife, 63, married in 1996 and have been legally separated since the death of their 26-year-old son, Hudson, a former U.S. Army sergeant and Tarantino’s godson. The former couple have two other sons, Calvin and Luke, the latter of whom chose to live with his father when he was 16 and continues to do so at 18, Wander said. (Michael Madsen also has a son named Christian from a previous relationship.)
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, deputies responded to a domestic disturbance call at Madsen's Malibu home around 12:15 a.m. Saturday. “The reporting party stated that an adult female alleged that her husband pushed her and locked her out of their residence,” a public information officer told The Times.
Based on their initial investigation, officers determined the Madsens were involved in “a domestic incident” and he was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor spousal battery. He was transported and booked into the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station and released at 9:12 a.m. after posting $20,000 bail, according to online jail records.
Earlier this week, the public information officer said the investigation was ongoing and would be forwarded to Van Nuys Superior Court for filing. No new details were provided when the sheriff's information office was contacted again Friday.
As of Friday morning, no charges had been filed. However, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office confirmed that “a case is under review.”
“According to Deanna, Mr. Madsen’s estranged wife, the charges will be dropped. He will not be charged, she has no desire to prosecute him. There was no domestic violence. However, the case is still being investigated by the LASD as is standard in all domestic violence cases. [domestic violence] cases,” Wander said in an email to The Times.
“She doesn’t want a divorce, nor does she want to prosecute Michael, who also has personal problems. She has told me this repeatedly. She now wants privacy because it is too painful for her to relive her son’s death in the press,” he added.
DeAnna Madsen, 63, did not immediately respond to The Times' requests for comment Friday.
However, in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, she said: “Michael is struggling with his own personal issues. My children and I have supported him as best we can. We request privacy at this time.”
