It looks like the "get out of jail free" card isn't just a make-believe strategy move from Monopoly. On Thursday (Sept. 24), former Scandal star, Columbus Short, managed to avoid jail time by pleading no contest to assaulting a man at a West Los Angeles restaurant in March 2014. The incident left a man with a broken and bloody nose.
According to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office, the 33-year-old actor struck a plea deal to a felony count of assault likely to cause bodily injury. This plea softened the blow that was headed Short's way and traded it for a punishment that would still allow him to walk the streets freely.
L.A. County Superior Court Judge Leslie Brown served Short, who once choreographed for pop sensation Britney Spears, with a three year sentence of probation along with 60 days of community labor. He is also required to attend and complete 26 anger management classes.
A photo posted by Columbus Short (@officialcshort) on Aug 21, 2015 at 1:30am PDT
The You Got Served actor reportedly got into a brutal bar brawl last year on March 15 after a word exchange between the two men got ugly. Short is said to have punched the man in the face, leaving him bloodied, in an unconscious state, with a broken nose. He was arrested and charged with felony aggravated battery, but was later released on a $50,000 bail.
TMZ alleges the Missouri native sent the following texts to the victim the same night of the incident: "I know im texting and incriminating myself but I have to own what I did wrong in that situation. Im so sorry and completely disappointed in myself. Whether I go to jail or not that will be the worst punishment of all. Losing you guys."
Short was initially facing up to four years in prison.
