LOS ANGELES (AP) – A judge on Tuesday ordered former “Scandal” star Columbus Short to remain in California until he resolves felony charges that he punched a man or else face a steep increase in his bail.
Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Mark Zuckman warned Short that if he found out the actor defied the order, he would increase bail from $250,000 to $1 million. Zuckman denied a prosecutor’s request to increase Short’s bail to $500,000 as punishment for the actor missing an October court appearance.
Short showed up to court three days after his scheduled hearing, which would have included testimony from witnesses describing a March fight in which the actor is accused of hitting a man in a restaurant and seriously injured him.
Short, 32, was unable to get a flight to Los Angeles from Atlanta at the time, his attorney, Michael M. Levin, told Zuckman on Tuesday. He said Short was attempting to travel on standby status and spent an entire night at the airport trying to get a flight to make his court date.
Short has moved back to Los Angeles so he can address the allegations, Levin said.