‘Saved By The Bell’ Dustin Diamond Goes To Jail: ‘Screech’ Begins Four Month Sentence

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Dustin Diamond, a former Saved By The Bell actor, checked into jail on Friday, January 15, in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. Diamond reported to begin a four month sentence he received for his part in a 2014 Christmas Day barroom brawl.

Diamond stabbed a man, Casey Smet, with a switchblade knife during a fight at the Grand Avenue Saloon in Port Washington, which is a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

According to Us Weekly, the Port Washington Police Department gave them a statement regarding the incident.

“At approximately 11:15 p.m. on Thursday, December 25, 2014, the Port Washington Police Department responsed to the Grand Ave. Saloon for reports of a stabbing. Evidence quickly gathered at the scene indicates a male, age 37, had stabbed another male patron and left the bar in a white SUV with his 27-year-old girlfriend. Officers quickly located the suspect vehicle and suspects and took both into custody.”

NBC reports that Dustin claims he used the knife to defend his fiancee at the time, Amanda Schutz, and himself.

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According to The Wrap, he testified that he had not meant to hurt anybody. A rowdy fan had just punched Amanda in the face so he had wanted to scare them off with his pocketknife. The stabbing victim testified that he didn’t even know he had been stabbed until later in the evening.

In May, Diamond was convicted on two misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and carrying a concealed weapon. He was found not guilty of the felony charge of recklessly endangering public safety. He was then sentenced to a four month jail term. Schutz was also found guilty of disorderly conduct. The couple was also ordered to pay the stabbing victim $1,500 in restitution.

Diamond commented during his sentencing, reported Us Weekly Magazine.

“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.”

Dustin said that he had been thinking that bringing out his knife would calm things down.

“I figured it would take the fight out of the people. Casey didn’t even know he was injured, so how would I?”

Dustin Diamond was born on January 7, 1977, and began acting when he was a child, according to Wikipedia. He was best known for his 13-year-role as the lovable and nerdy Samuel “Screech” Powers on the Saved By The Bell television series.

Originally, the show was called, Good Morning, Miss Bliss (1988-89), and ended the high school series as Saved By The Bell: The New Class (1994-2000.) Diamond also appeared in Saved By The Bell: The College Years, but the show was cancelled after only one season.

In 2006, Diamond directed and released a sex tape, Screeched – Saved by the Smell. Later, in an interview with The Daily Beast, he claimed that it was not him in the move, but a double.

“I put the thing together. I got a stunt wang. I’m not an idiot. I’m not going to really put myself out there. So I got a stunt person to come in. And I thought, what if this thing makes $3 million? That’s nothing to scoff at. But after that, people looked at me dirty, like, ‘He does porn.’ No, I don’t! I faked that one at a chance for millions. I’m an opportunist, really. Needless to say it did not make millions. But I had to take the shot. I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t.”

Since Saved By The Bell, Dustin has done stand up comedy tours, been featured on reality and game shows, and made some cameo appearances in films.

Dustin Diamond, "Saved by the Bell" actor, booked into Wisconsin jail: https://t.co/S6nJHG1fSL pic.twitter.com/2lwCqrYtCA

— ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) January 16, 2016

In 2009, Dustin published Behind the Bell, a tell-all book about the inside story of the crew and cast. It was not a flattering picture and it was soundly criticized by his co-stars. Four years later, Dustin Diamond said that the book had actually been ghost written by an author who had interviewed him and who had fabricated some of the stories from minor statements.

[Photo via APImages]