Columbus Short On Legal Troubles & Friday's Reported Assault: "I Have Not Been Perfect"

Columbus Short has denied he was involved in a fight with a bouncer in a Texas bar on Friday (4th July). The former Scandal actor was reportedly arrested in Dallas for public intoxication after he was refused to pay a bar tab and was forcibly removed by a bouncer. Unfortunately, this has not been the only incident in the last six months in which Short appears to have become violent.

Columbus Short was reportedly involved in a brawl on Friday.

Speaking to Access Hollywood, 31-year-old Short addressed the issues he has faced over the last six months and claimed many of the incidents had been blown out of proportion. Short said "I think there's a time when your personal life gets magnified by who we are as celebrities."

Short responded to questions about the incident on Friday and claimed not to have been involved in the fight, and was in the bathroom when the altercation had begun. According to reports in the Mail, Short was drinking in a bar on 4th July when he allegedly refused to pay his tab and became violent when he security guards attempted to remove him from the establishment. The police were called and Short also apparently accused them of racism.

Speaking to the entertainment show, Short said "I was involved in no fight. I was with a group of people that were eating. I went to the bathroom and I came back and there was an altercation ensuing. I guess the police thought I was somebody involved in the situation. They grabbed me, and by the time I was on the ground I said, and I apologised to the officers later, but I said some pretty choice words."

Yet this latest incident is just one of a number within the past few months. In February of this year, Short was charged with misdemeanour spousal battery after his wife, Tuere Short, contacted the police. Whilst he pleaded not guilty to the charges, mere months later Tuere filed for divorce and obtained a restraining order against her estranged husband, as THR reports.

Columbus Short
Short played Harrison Wright in Scandal.

Short also addressed the issues of domestic violence and denied having assaulted his wife. When questioned about his actions, Short said "I will take ownership, you know, me and my wife we're going through some serious problems. However the domestic part of it, I am not a physically violent man. I have never put my hands on a woman, physically, ever."

However, there appears to be no chance of reconciliation between the two and Short confirmed that divorce proceedings were ongoing. He did state that he had been able to see his 2-year-old daughter. Short said the "Divorce is going forward. There is a restraining order which is in effect."

Short was also arrested in March for battery when he assaulted a man in a L.A. restaurant. Short, in his interview with Access, readily admitted to the offence and vaguely explained his position. He claimed the man in question, who has recently filed a civil suit against Short, was being verbally abusive to Tuere. Short told Access Hollywood: "There comes a time when you have to exercise patient and sometimes you get yourself in situations where you realise people are actually testing you, people are actually provoking you."

It is believed the accusations of domestic violence and Short's other legal issues led to his dismissal from Scandal, in which he starred as Harrison Wright. Short attempted to justify his position, once more blaming press coverage for blowing the problems out of proportion, adding "I have not been perfect but I have not been all the things which have been in the press.

Columbus Short on the set of Scandal in March.