Drug use led to jailing of Dustin Diamond for parole violation

Wisconsin Department of Corrections records show former Saved by the Bell star Dustin Diamond violated his probation last month by using a painkiller without permission.

Diamond was arrested on May 25 and placed in jail in Ozaukee County for what corrections officials described as a probation violation. Records the agency released Friday show that Diamond took a urine test in his probation agent’s office that day and it came back positive for oxycodone. The actor told his agent he took a pill for a toothache.

The 39-year-old actor was convicted in Wisconsin last year on charges stemming from a 2014 Port Washington bar room brawl. Diamond faced a felony charge of second-degree recklessly endangering safety and two misdemeanors — carrying a concealed weapon and disorderly conduct. The jury found him innocent of the felony charge, which could have carried a sentence of up to 11 years.

In January, Diamond began serving a four-month sentence. He was released in April.

Diamond’s case draw attention from the tabloids and internet gossip sites.

During his trial, Diamond told the jury that he didn’t intentionally stab a man, as prosecutors alleged.

According to Diamond's testimony, he and his girlfriend Amanda Schutz created a stir when they went to a bar in Port Washington on Christmas Day. Some people wanted to shake his hand and pose for photos. But other bar patrons badgered him and Schutz.

“I felt like we were being set up for antagonistic purposes,” said Diamond.

Defense attorneys said no one saw Diamond stab the man and video footage of the altercation is murky.

Diamond said the brawl started after Schutz got in a fight with another female bar patron. Bethany Ward said Shutz started the conflict but acknowledged punching her in the face. Diamond said he got involved to protect Schutz when he saw her nose “pouring blood.” Diamond said he took out his pocketknife to deter the group from hurting her more.

“I figured it would take the fight out of the people,” he said.

Diamond said he yelled out that he wanted Ward and others to let his girlfriend go, and he scuffled with a man before Schutz was released and both of them left the bar.

The man who was stabbed, 25-year-old Casey Smet, testified that he didn’t know he’d been stabbed until he left the bar and was talking to police.

Diamond said he thought Smet hurt himself when he grabbed at Diamond.

“Casey didn’t even know he was injured, so how would I?” Diamond told the jury.

Ozaukee County District Attorney Adam Gerol argued that Diamond lied about what happened and that the actor had scripted his testimony.

Gerol showed body-camera footage of Diamond’s testimony to a Port Washington police officer the night of the fight. In the video Diamond first said he might have struck Smet with a pen. In a video of testimony later that night, Diamond said he had a knife at the bar, but hadn’t used it to stab anyone.

Defense attorneys said no one saw Diamond stab the man, and video footage of the altercation was murky.