Mel B’s ex: Give me an open trial

MEL B’S ESTRANGED husband is fighting the former Spice Girl’s request to conduct his upcoming domestic violence trial behind closed doors.

In court documents the Daily News obtained, Stephen Belafonte says he deserves a chance to publicly defend himself against Mel B’s “false and damaging” claims that he repeatedly abused her during their 10-year marriage.

Mel B filed for divorce in March. Weeks later, the 42-yearold “America’s Got Talent” judge, whose real name is Melanie Brown, won a temporary domestic violence restraining order with claims Belafonte punched and choked her, threatened to release sex tapes if she reported him, and got their nanny pregnant.

In his filing, Belafonte says Mel B’s claim that a public trial would cause “irreparable harm” to their 5-yearold daughter and her other children was overblown.

Belafonte, 42, is asking the court to deny Brown’s request for a private trial and instead issue a tailored ruling that would close the courtroom for any proceedings related to the kids.