Scandal's Columbus Short Pleads No Contest in Assault Case

Former Scandalstar Columbus Short has pleaded no contest to assault, People reports.

According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, Short pleaded to an amended felony count of assault likely to cause great bodily injury stemming from an incident last year in which Short punched a man at a Los Angeles restaurant, leaving him unconscious for several minutes.

Though the charge carried a maximum of four years in prison, Short was only sentenced to three years probation, 60 days of community service and has been ordered to complete 26 anger management classes.

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Following Short's arrest, his wife filed for divorce and was granted a temporary restraining order after alleging Short had threatened to kill her and himself. He was also reportedly arrested several other times for violent behavior, including twice in February 2014 for alleged physical altercations with his wife.

Short, who was written off Scandal that same year, later opened up about how substance abuse was to blame for his problems.

"I'll be candid. I was struggling with drugs," Short told Access Hollywood in December. "I had a lot on my plate, and you know, I was using unhealthy ways to kind of self-medicate and deal with a lot of heavy duty stuff in my life... The real drugs--I did cocaine. I was doing cocaine and drinking a lot, and trying to balance a 16-hour work schedule a day, and a family, and, I just lost myself back then."