They were the tapes that ignited the 19 month court battle between Academy Award winner Mel Gibson and the mother of his illegitimate child, Oksana Grigorieva.

RadarOnline.com is looking back at what started the legal ball rolling -- our world exclusive tapes of the Lethal Weapon star lashing out at his baby's mother with a tirade of racist, sexist and threatening statements after their January 2010 blowup.

In the series of tapes -- obtained exclusively by RadarOnline.com -- an enraged Gibson admits to hitting Grigorieva and even threatens to "put her in a f------ rose garden."

Among the low-lights, that dominated the headlines last summer:

Nine months later, Mel Gibson has delivered a response.

The star of The Beaver sat down with Deadline.com's Allison Hope Weiner this week in his first interview since RadarOnline exclusively released the tapes of his racist, sexist and threatening tirades toward his child's mother, Oksana Grigorieva, during a January 2010 blowup.

Gibson told the website that while no one "expressed any anger at him," he regrets what he said on the tapes.

Mel Gibson is expected to plead 'no contest' Friday afternoon to a misdemeanor battery charge as part of a plea bargain related to a domestic violence incident involving his then-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva back in January, 2010 and RadarOnline.com will be bring it to you live.

PHOTOS: Mel Gibson Arrives To Court In Los Angeles

Watch Mel Gibson live in court on RadarOnline.com.

MEL AUDIO TAPE: Mel Gibson Admits Hitting Oksana, Threatens To Kill Her

Legal experts say Gibson could have faced a more serious charge of  'corporal injury on a spouse',  which, if convicted, could have involved fines, jail or prison time, and court-ordered counseling.

LEGAL DOCUMENT: Mel Gibson Officially Charged With Battery

In exchange for Gibson's 'no contest' plea to the simple battery charge, he is not expected to serve any jail time.

According to Gibson's attorney Blair Berk, the father-of-eight has decided to take this route out of respect to his kids.

PHOTOS: Oksana Shows Off Her Post Baby Body

"I know from almost 20 years as a criminal defense lawyer that sometimes justice can come for a client at too high a personal price," Berk said in a statement Wednesday. "That is particularly so for Mel, whose right to due process can only be exercised in this case with an enormous media circus attached."

Gibson’s plea will mark the end of a chapter all brought to light when RadarOnline.com last summer released world exclusive tapes of the Academy Award winner lashing out at his baby's mother with a tirade of racist, sexist and threatening statements.

EXCLUSIVE FIRST PHOTOS: The Injury To Oksana's Teeth

Among the low-lights of Mel's self described "rantings" in the aforementioned tapes included when a calm Grigorieva told Gibson, "I did not do anything and I apologize for nothing," Gibson responded, "You apologize for nothing? Well then you're a dishonest c---!"

In another chilling exchange, Grigorieva told Gibson, "You were hitting a woman with a child in her hands. You! What kind of a man is that, hitting a woman when she's holding a child in her hands?

PHOTOS: Mel & Oksana In Happier Times

"Breaking her teeth, twice, in the face," Grigorieva said. "What kind of man is that?"

"You know what, you f------ deserved it!" Gibson said. "I'll put you in a f------ rose garden, you c---. You understand that? Because I'm capable of it. You understand that? Get a f------ restraining order. For what? What are you gonna get a restraining order for? For me being drunk and disorderly? For hitting you? For what?"

Outrageous meltdowns have landed The Passion director in hot water before, most notably during his infamous 2006 drunk driving arrest in his hometown of Malibu, in which he allegedly said, "F------ Jews ... the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world," before turning to a female officer and saying, "What do you think you're looking at, sugar t---?"

Gibson's career has also sputtered in the wake of the bad publicity, as he's only had one film released since the July 2006 incident, 2010's Edge of Darkness, which drew a mediocre $43 million at the box office. A cameo role in The Hangover 2 (which could have signaled Hollywood's acceptance of Gibson post-Oksana scandal) was overwhelmingly nixed by cast and crew, as Liam Neeson would get the role instead.

Gibson's marriage to his ex-wife Robyn ended in 2009; the pair has seven children.

RadarOnline.com will be at Gibson's court hearing Friday, and will bring you breaking details as they happen.

MEL AUDIO TAPE: The Tape That Could Destroy Mel: "No One Will Believe You", He Says After She Charges: "You Hit The Baby"

MEL AUDIO TAPE: Out Of Control Mel Gibson Says He'll Burn Down House After Demanding Sex

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MEL AUDIO TAPE #1:  Mel’s Racist Rant

MEL AUDIO TAPE #2: Mel Gibson Admits Hitting Oksana, Threatens To Kill Her

MEL AUDIO TAPE #3: Another Mel Gibson Slur Caught On Tape In Crazed Rage

MEL AUDIO TAPE #4: Out Of Control Mel Gibson Says He'll Burn Down House After Demanding Sex

MEL AUDIO TAPE #5: Mel Gibson Completely Loses It: 'B*tch, C*nt, Wh*re, Gold Digger!'

MEL AUDIO TAPE #6: The Tape That Could Destroy Mel: "No One Will Believe You", He Says After She Charges: "You Hit The Baby"

MEL AUDIO TAPE #7: Mel Gibson's Twisted Rant Includes Jealous Rage Over Timothy Dalton

Mel Gibson is expected to plead 'no contest' Friday afternoon in Airport Court in Los Angeles to a misdemeanor battery charge as part of a plea bargain related to a domestic violence incident involving his then-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva back in January, 2010. The court appearance is at 1:30 p.m. PT

A source close to the case told RadarOnline.com, "The battery charge against Mel will officially be filed on Friday morning.

“Oksana could speak at Mel's hearing on Friday afternoon,” the source said. “She could make a victim's impact statement, but at this point, it doesn't seem likely that she will appear.”

In wake of Mel Gibson's camp announcing Wednesday morning that a plea deal has been reached in the domestic violence case against him, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office is "furious, because the victim (Oksana Grigorieva) in the case was supposed to be notified today about the disposition and outcome of the case. For Oksana to have to find out through the media what was going to happen is absolutely unprofessional and makes no sense at all," a source very close to the situation exclusively tells RadarOnline.com.

A person familiar with the case tells The Associated Press that Gibson will plead guilty to misdemeanor battery as part of the deal, and in exchange, he will likely avoid jail time. Gibson is expected to be formally charged this week, and will appear in court in person to enter the plea, according to the A.P.

Gibson's lawyer, Blair Berk told the media Wednesday morning: "I know from almost 20 years as a criminal defense lawyer that sometimes justice can come for a client at too high a personal price.  That is particularly so for Mel, whose right to due process can only be exercised in this case with an enormous media circus attached. Mel's priority throughout all of this has been that the best interests of his young daughter Lucia and the rest of his children be put first in any decisions made.  It is with only that in mind that he asked me to approach the District Attorney with a proposal that would bring all of this to an immediate end."

Alexander "Sasha" Dalton, Oksana Grigorieva's 13-year-old son with James Bond star Timothy Dalton, was going to testify in the criminal case against Mel Gibson and considered the star witness before Gibson cut a deal on Wednesday, RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned.

"One major reason why this case was being brought against Mel Gibson, more than a year after the alleged incident took place, is because Sasha was made available to testify at a potential criminal trial against Mel," a source close to the case told RadarOnline.com. "Sasha's involvement and cooperation in the case was absolutely essential, and because he is a minor, both of his parents had to agree to let him participate, and that took some time to make happen."