It’s on! Dueling spouses Jacqueline Getty and Peter Getty had their first day in court Friday in Los Angeles, with Jacqui landing the first blows — allegations of Peter’s drug use and violence.
Jacqui arrived in court with 15 to 20 friends and family members, including friend Pamela Levy, the founder of Juicy Couture; Gia Coppola, the granddaughter of Francis Ford Coppola; and Gia’s grandmother Eleanor Coppola, Francis’ wife. Peter showed up in court alone.
Peter — the grandson of oil billionaire John Paul Getty — also fell asleep in court and dozed throughout the proceedings, according to witnesses.
In papers filed earlier, Jacqui claims Peter was a porn-obsessed abuser, often on drugs. The filings include claims that Peter broke her arm and choked her. He also allegedly told her, “I could kill you and get away with it.”
In court Friday, Jacqui’s camp submitted evidence of Peter’s drug use, including a photo of Peter with a blood-caked nose sitting in front of a computer.
Jacqui’s camp maintains Peter has abandoned both her and their daughter, Gia, for his $30 million San Francisco bachelor pad. Gia, now 23, is Jacqui’s daughter with Gian-Carlo Coppola, who died in a boating accident while Jacqui was pregnant.
“Peter not only missed Gia’s graduation from Bard College in May 2009 after promising he would attend, but shortly thereafter stopped paying her health insurance and car insurance,” said a friend of Jacqui’s. “Peter has also not responded to numerous calls and e-mails from Gia.”
A source close to Peter responded: “It’s very sad that Jacqui has decided to bring Gia into this. Many of the allegations Jacqui is making are untrue. Anyone who knows Peter knows that he’s not a violent person and did not break Jacqui’s arm.” The source also added that Peter has been paying for Gia’s medical insurance.
Peter’s lawyer, Laura Wasser, had no comment.