GLORIA ALLRED - GRIFFIN O'NEAL AND GIRLFRIEND HIRE LAWYER

LATEST: GRIFFIN O'NEAL and his pregnant girlfriend JOANNA BERRY have hired top attorney GLORIA ALLRED and may testify in a criminal case against Griffin's father RYAN O'NEAL. The elder O'Neal was arrested on Saturday night (03FEB07) and charged with assault with a deadly weapon and negligent discharge of a firearm after a fight with his 42-year-old son. Lawyer Allred announced at a news conference today (07FEB07) she was representing the couple and she took the opportunity to slam claims by Ryan O'Neal that he was acting in self defence when he fired off a shot during the family row. According to Allred, Berry suffered abrasions, blunt head trauma, facial lacerations and a fractured bone during the scuffle at Ryan O'Neal's Malibu home. Griffin O'Neal and Berry were present at the news conference, but did not speak. Allred said her clients may be called to testify in a criminal case, but there was no word on whether charges would be filed against Ryan O'Neal for allegedly firing a gun during the incident.