Mel B was papped going to her lawyer’s office yesterday and this was obviously a tip since multiple outlets have these photos. That was smart of her, to put new photos out where she’s looking good and keeping her head up high. (Although laying low or looking sad would also be completely understandable.) She’s standing up for herself after all the horrific things she went through, and the word is out about Stephen. Stephen has issued a statement through his lawyer refuting Mel’s very detailed claims about specific incidents of abuse, for which she has documented injures. She was granted a restraining order against Stephen and he has been ordered to leave their home. In true abuser form, Stephen accuses Mel of making everything up because of course he’s doing that. I don’t want to give too many lines to his complete bullsh-t but here is some of it, with more on TMZ:
When the degree to which Ms. Brown has gone to create a false depiction of her marriage to Mr. Belafonte is uncovered, real victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse will be understandably offended, angry and upset.
So Mel isn’t a “real” victim and her story is offensive to these “real” victims. This sounds so much like the way that Scientology refutes all the claims against them, by attacking the person and trying to make it about them instead. I wish that Stephen “Belafonte” would get sucked up by Scientology, but I digress, I would rather he spend significant time in jail. I shouldn’t get my hopes up, but Stephen could still be incarcerated if the government decides to prosecute him on federal weapons charges. He’s legally prohibited from owning a gun following his 2003 conviction for domestic violence against his ex, and yet he has one according to Mel and also Stephen’s brother, both of whom would testify against him. ATF Agents raided Mel and Stephen’s house over the weekend and while they did not find the gun, which he allegedly keeps in a lock box, they did find a shell casing and a bullet, and he’s not allowed to have ammunition either. Fingers crossed that he’ll be brought up on charges and that they’ll stick.
There are plenty of other stories about this sad divorce, with TMZ reporting that Stephen would regularly get Mel drunk and then coerce her into having threesomes, the partners for which he’d pick out at the Playboy mansion. The Mirror is claiming that at least 20 of Mel and Stephen’s threesome partners have lawyered up in anticipation that their sex tapes may be released, but I don’t much trust The Mirror.
As for the 20 year-old German nanny whom Stephen impregnated, convinced to have an abortion and paid off, The Daily Mail found her Instagram and posted photos of her. I’m not going to link to that, but they also have a denial from the nanny’s sister saying her sister was never pregnant by Stephen and that she didn’t hear about the fighting at the house. Given what we’ve heard about Stephen, the young nanny was probably a victim too. I also fear for his kids. I checked his Instagram and his last post is a happy birthday video for Angel, who is ten and is the daughter of Mel and Eddie Murphy. Stephen calls her “my daughter.” In Mel’s request for a restraining order she details an incident this February where Stephen took her phone and texted Eddie Murphy’s assistant, after which a meeting between Eddie and Angel was canceled. She also wrote that Stephen would regularly berate and demean her in front of her three children and that she would ask him if they could take it upstairs but he never would. “Sometimes he would even become louder until I capitulated to his particular demands.”
photos credit: FameFlynet and Pacific Coast News
Abusers isolate, manipulate, degrade, and of course ABUSE their victims. Obviously, I don’t know what went down first hand, but he certainly is following the textbook when it comes to the behavior of an Abuser.
On the isolation bit, I have just remembered her mum and sis talking about this guy over the years. My memory is vague but something about him keepin Mel from them, imprisoning her over one Christmas so they couldnt see her. If I am remembering correctly Mels rep (probably under his instruction) would say that her family are just mad that she wont let them scrounge off her. This went on for years. The evidence against him was basically right before our eyes.
So true, City Girl. My (much older) sister put up with this shit for 39 years before finally getting the strength to leave. I don’t know how she endured it for so long, but she’s from a different generation, and our culture and upbringing meant she felt she had no options. He did the isolation thing, too, even extending it to their children. I took the attitude of, “Eff you, scumbag. You might not allow her to come out to see us, but I’ll be dammed if you try to stop me going to see her.” The despicable lies he told about her – and continues to spout – are contemptible. Nothing of Mel B’s story surprises me. This “Belafonte” creep is a lazy, vicious, violent, controlling, lying parasite, and hopefully, he’ll be exposed as such. The important thing is that she’s found the courage to put a stop to all his deranged and dangerous behaviour. With any luck, this piece of shite opportunist will end up back in the gutter where he belongs.
However you measure it , this man is scum. It is frightening to me the control he had over her life and finances. Now looking back at some of their recent photos , her pain is obvious.
Stay strong and safe, Mel B!!!
Isnt the Body language in all these pics haunting??? Like even the ones from yesterday you can see how he stares her down or seems to over cling to her while she’s stiff
Definitely!
Textbook for an abuser
Doesn’t he have a criminal history? Didn’t he change his last name to obfuscate scrutinisers?
Scum. This is textbook. Been there, NEVER thought it’d happen to me. There have been blind items about what this piece of sh-t can release to smear Mel, but I don’t think they hold water. Hope Mel will find fortitude to weather this, for herself and the kids.
Good luck.
He has a history of violence and domestic abuse. He used to beat his ex partner and mother of his other children.
All good vibes being sent Mel B’s way. When I was a kid I was such a huge fan of the Spice Girls, it was the first time I felt empowered by music. It’s heartbreaking to see Mel B going through this.
Yes, because it is just SO easy to lie about the nanny kidnapping the children.
Or go back in time and fake the social media posts she put up of her bruising over the years.
Next he will claim that she beat him and knocked up his side chick. And there will be those waiting in the wings who will support him. Nice try, Textbooky McAbuser, but we are getting collectively wise to your sociopathic tricks.
Ugh…domestic abuse is so insidious. Glad she’s finding the strength to get out.
On a completely petty note…he looks like the scum he is…..creeper face.
It’s always seemed strange to me that in pictures with Belafonte, Mel doesn’t even look like the same person I see in America’s Got Talent clips, where she is laughing, joking around and giving thoughtful advice to performers. Abusers always lie, and we have a culture that lets them get away with it. It’s appalling, and I’m so glad she’s sticking up for herself and her children.
It’s so awful how people are using her sexual history against her. I hope this could spark wider debate about the gender double standards an failings of current legislation but it’ll probably just be turned into more gossip.