Michelle Ghent, ex-wife no. 2 of Empire actor, Terrence Howard, filed a lawsuit against the actor- singer for beating her almost to death, in 2013. Based on reports in USA Today, the incident occurred in 2013 while the couple was in Costa Rica.
According to the legal documents, the couple were arguing, then Howard allegedly grabbed the neck of Ghent, pushed her against the wall, strangled her, threatened to kill her and mule-kicked her. He apparently beat her 'within an inch of her life'.
Ghent was the second Mrs. Howard, married to each other for a mere 13 months. Their mudslinging and disputes have lasted longer than their marriage. She is a commercial production employee. They married in January 2010 and filed for divorce in February 2011. Before their divorce could be finalized in May 2013, Ghent has filed a restraining order in 2011, because Howard was physically abusing her.
According to the camp of Howard, that incident was a mutual fight. Ghent pepper-sprayed him. According to Ghent, she only had to do that because Howard was walking towards a table that held a knife 4 - 6 in long.
At one other time after their split, while they were arguing over spousal support, with Ghent asking for $ 508,000, she allegedly threatened to leak pictures of Howard's genitals. Meanwhile, Howard's camp claims to have secret recordings of Ghent making verbal threats to him.
Howard's wife no. 1 was Lori McCommas. They married in 1989, had 4 children, divorced in 2003, remarried in 2005 and finally divorced in 2007. Current wife is model / restaurateur Mira Pak (also known as Miranda), whom he married in 2013. They have one son.
Howard has had many incidents of violence, including an alleged attack on musical composer Tex Allen while rehearsing for their Broadway play, 'Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'. Allen filed a lawsuit against the actor.
In an article of 'Smoking Gun', Howard once assaulted an airline flight attendant after she had him return to his seat because the seat belt sign was on. In another incident, according to Philadelphia magazine, Howard once punched a woman in a diner.
