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Mark Harmon made headlines long before his "NCIS" days over a brutal custody battle — and the court case has still left a heartbreaking rift in his relationship with his drug-crazed sister Kristin! The sordid case made embarrassing headlines for Mark just as he was trying to launch a career as a movie star, in addition to smearing the reputation of the late teen idol Ricky Nelson. An insider has told RadarOnline that the estranged siblings are still struggling to reconcile, as well. “Mark and Kristin have tried to let bygones be bygones,” says a source close to the family. “But there’s just too much bad blood for either of them to completely forgive and forget.”
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As covered by The National ENQUIRER, Mark went to court against Kristin after Rick Nelson's private plane crashed in the final hours of December 31, 1985. The once-wholesome pop star had been freebasing cocaine when a fire onboard led to the crash. His ex-wife Kristin, who used to star with Rick on "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet," was also deep in the throes of drug addiction. Mark — then one of Hollywood's hottest rising stars on "St. Elsewhere" — set out to take care of Kristin's young son Sam.
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But things got ugly when Kristin came out of rehab in 1987. Mark, who had just married former "Mork & Mindy" star Pam Dawber, went to court seeking permanent custody of Sam, who was then 12 years old. Pam testified on the stand that she'd seen Kristin “blasted” while shopping, and said Sam was afraid to go home because his mother acted “erratic.” Meanwhile, Kristin’s lawyers accused Pam of using cocaine while working with Robin Williams on her old hit show.
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Shortly before Pam was to testify about the charges of drug use — which she denied — her husband suddenly dropped the suit. Kristin’s lawyers branded it an “unconditional surrender.” Sam grew up to become a musician and actor. Kristin became an artist in Santa Fe, N.M. She said that Mark dropped the case “rather than prolong the agony for everyone in the family” — but added: “I knew from that time on that our family would never be the same again, and it hasn’t been!”
Mark Harmon made headlines long before his "NCIS" days over a brutal custody battle — and the court case has still left a heartbreaking rift in his relationship with his drug-crazed sister Kristin! The sordid case made embarrassing headlines for Mark just as he was trying to launch a career as a movie star, in addition to smearing the reputation of the late teen idol Ricky Nelson. An insider has told RadarOnline that the estranged siblings are still struggling to reconcile, as well. “Mark and Kristin have tried to let bygones be bygones,” says a source close to the family. “But there’s just too much bad blood for either of them to completely forgive and forget.”
Photo credit: Mega
As covered by The National ENQUIRER, Mark went to court against Kristin after Rick Nelson's private plane crashed in the final hours of December 31, 1985. The once-wholesome pop star had been freebasing cocaine when a fire onboard led to the crash. His ex-wife Kristin, who used to star with Rick on "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet," was also deep in the throes of drug addiction. Mark — then one of Hollywood's hottest rising stars on "St. Elsewhere" — set out to take care of Kristin's young son Sam.
Photo credit: Files/Getty
But things got ugly when Kristin came out of rehab in 1987. Mark, who had just married former "Mork & Mindy" star Pam Dawber, went to court seeking permanent custody of Sam, who was then 12 years old. Pam testified on the stand that she'd seen Kristin “blasted” while shopping, and said Sam was afraid to go home because his mother acted “erratic.” Meanwhile, Kristin’s lawyers accused Pam of using cocaine while working with Robin Williams on her old hit show.
Shortly before Pam was to testify about the charges of drug use — which she denied — her husband suddenly dropped the suit. Kristin’s lawyers branded it an “unconditional surrender.” Sam grew up to become a musician and actor. Kristin became an artist in Santa Fe, N.M. She said that Mark dropped the case “rather than prolong the agony for everyone in the family” — but added: “I knew from that time on that our family would never be the same again, and it hasn’t been!”
Photo credit: Mega