Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Dustin Diamond, AKA Screech, Is Going To Jail For Stabbing A Guy
The former child star who played Screech in “Saved By the Bell” was sentenced to 4 months in jail for stabbing someone in a bar fight.Actor Dustin Diamond was also given 15 months’ probation after he was convicted earlier this month on two misdemeanor counts from the fight, which happened on Christmas Day last year in Port Washington, Wis., according to The Associated Press. Upon sentencing, the 38-year-old actor was said to be misty-eyed and left the courtroom without comment.
Diamond was cleared of a felony charge in a three-day trial last month, but the judge still found him guilty of carrying a concealed weapon and disorderly conduct. His girlfriend, Amanda Schutz, also faces a maximum of 90 days in jail for disorderly conduct after witnesses testified that she punched a woman at a bar and grabbed another woman’s hand and started the fight.
Diamond changed his story several times, first telling police he may have stabbed a man with a pen during the altercation. Police searched Diamond’s car and found a nearly four-inch switchblade covered in what may have been blood, and Diamond admitted during video testimony that he had a knife at the bar but hadn’t stabbed anyone with it. During the trial, he told jurors he took a knife out to ward people off, including a woman he said punched Shutz, and then accidentally stabbed a man during the encounter. Video TMZ obtained from the night shows Diamond in the bar while a bystander says, "Holy f—, he has a f—ing knife!"
It's been sad to see Diamond fall so far. His last attempt to cash in on his "Saved By The Bell" fame was a heavily embellished memoir that got turned into a snoozeworthy Lifetime movie: “Unauthorized Saved By the Bell Story”. There’s no word yet if Diamond will get out of jail early as long as he promises to never, ever release another sex tape again.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The critical findings are part of long-awaited after-action report was released Thursday. It contains recommendations for increasing emergency staffing and updating old systems. -
Diving has changed, mountain biking has been added. Here's where to watch the Olympics in person in 2028. -
'A Great Day in the Stoke' is a free, daylong event in Orange County billed as 'the largest gathering of Black surfers in history.' The fourth annual festival is set for Saturday in Huntington Beach. -
Kimmel returned less than a week after ABC suspended his show over comments he made about the assassination of right wing activist Charlie Kirk. -
Southern California might see some light rain tonight into Wednesday morning. After that, cooler weather is on the way, but expect the humidity to remain. -
A gate tax at Disney? It's a possibility.
Best of LAist