‘Saved By The Bell’ Actor Dustin Diamond Gets Jail Sentence In Stabbing Case

Actor Dustin Diamond, best known for playing Screech Powers in the TV series Saved by the Bell, has been sentenced to four months in jail. Diamond received the sentence for stabbing a man in a bar scuffle on Christmas Day, 2014, in Port Washington, Wisconsin. The man suffered an injury to his right arm while Diamond wielded a knife. Dustin said he was trying to protect his girlfriend, who had been in an altercation with another woman. ABC News is reporting that Diamond will also be on probation for 15 months after his jail sentence.

As reported on earlier at the Inquisitr, things could have been a whole lot worse for Diamond as he was cleared earlier of a felony charge and was found guilty of two misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and carrying a concealed weapon. If Diamond had been found guilty on the felony charge, he could have been sentenced to over ten years in jail.

The Associated Press is reporting that Diamond had a chance to speak to the courtroom on Thursday, and he apologized for his actions.

“I sincerely apologize to everyone involved. This was the single most terrifying experience of my life. This is all I’ve been able to think about for the last six months.”

During the trial, the prosecution said that Diamond’s version of the story had changed often. Dustin initially said that it was a pen he used in the altercation, but finally fessed up and said that it was actually a knife. The prosecutor said Diamond was an accomplished liar based upon his years of work as an actor.

Judge Paul Malloy handed down the sentence and told the courtroom that he had a responsibility to tell others that this type of behavior can’t be tolerated, and that the sentence has to send a message to the community.

Diamond played the role of Screech from 1988 to 2000 through several TV shows, most notably Saved by the Bell. Since then, he has appeared on several reality shows and game shows, including The Weakest Link, Celebrity Fit Club, and Celebrity Big Brother. He also gained fame for releasing his own sex tape and writing a tell-all book about his fellow actors on Saved by the Bell. Recently, Diamond has worked as a mentor in the reality series The Reel Deal, which teams up celebrities with up and coming actors and directors in a short film competition.

Dustin Diamond will begin his jail sentence on Sunday.

[Image by Daniel Boczarsk / Getty Images]