Columbus Short accepted the plea deal on Thursday in response to the judge refusing to lower his bail in the case. The actor reportedly missed three court appearances, instead choosing to go to Barbados when there was a warrant out for his arrest.

Short’s actions angered the judge so much that his bail was hiked from $40,000 to $500,000 and warrant for his arrest was issued the minute he landed in the United States. While in court Thursday, Short apologized to the judge, saying “I apologize sincerely for missing court,” he then offered the judge a quick explanation of why he took the trip to Barbados, “I was between a rock and a hard place: the rock being court and the hard place being Barbados and 2,000 kids waiting for me to get there.” New York Daily News reports .
Unmoved by his words, the judge refused to lower his bail, forcing Short to plead no contest to misdemeanor spousal battery for attacking his wife, Tanee Mc Call, earlier this year. Short was sentenced to three years of probation and 30 days of community service. Short must also complete a domestic violence program and attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
According to Hollywood Life McCall filed for divorce from the actor after he threatened to hit her with a wine bottle, choked her, then threatened to stab her in a twisted game of “Truth or Truth.”
Photo courtesy of INFevents.com