Dustin Diamond to Start Four-Month Jail Sentence in January

Dustin Diamond, known for his role as Screech in cult TV sitcom Saved by the Bell, will serve a four-month jail sentence early next year. According to Reuters, the actor withdrew the appeal of his conviction stemming from a bar stabbing in Port Washington, Wisconsin.

The actor was arrested after an incident last Christmas, where he allegedly stabbed a man during a bar fight. He and his fiancée at the time, Amanda Schutz, were accused of fighting with two men and another woman, and a melee ensued. After the fight, one of the men noticed a puncture mark, which was not life threatening. Diamond and Schutz had left the scene before police arrived, but authorities later found a stiletto-folding knife with a 3.75-inch blade with blood on it in Diamond’s car.

During Diamond’s trial in May, he claimed the stabbing was accidental. He was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and disorderly conduct. He was convicted on two misdemeanor counts, though the actor was not convicted on a felony count of second-degree recklessly endangering safety. Diamond was sentenced to four months in jail, which he then appealed. He and Schutz, who was found guilty of disorderly conduct stemming from the incident, were ordered to pay $1,500 in restitution to the stabbing victim as well.

On Wednesday, Diamond appeared in an Ozaukee County Circuit Court with his lawyer, where they withdrew his appeal for the conviction. He begins serving his four-month jail sentence on January 15th.

Rolling Stone