Tom Sizemore's Brawl Bust

Mon., Dec. 9, 2002 5:25 PM PST by Lia Haberman

TV cop Tom Sizemore is in trouble with the law.

Sizemore, currently on the beat as seasoned Detective Sam Cole on Robbery Homicide Division, was arrested over the weekend for battery, E! News Live has learned. The actor was rung up on misdemeanor charges after allegedly punching the face of a woman police said was his fianc?e.

The fistfight happened at about 1 p.m. on Saturday, according to the LAPD. The TV tough guy, who was once engaged to Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss (the two reportedly broke up in recent weeks, and police say Fleiss was not the woman involved in the alleged altercation), was reportedly discussing wedding plans with his future missus at his Benedict Canyon home when the argument erupted.

No word on which wedding detail provoked the outburst, but, according to the Los Angeles police report filed by Sizemore's fianc?e (whose name has not been released), the two allegedly exchanged blows before Sizemore dragged his bride-to-be by the feet into another room and threatened her. "If you call police, I will kill you," Sizemore allegedly said, per the police report.

The future Mrs. Sizemore and two witnesses then fled and called police. She obtained an emergency protective order against the actor. Sizemore was taken into custody at about 1:45 p.m. and booked on misdemeanor battery. He spent four hours in the slammer before being released on $2,500 bail. An arraignment has been scheduled for January 8.

Battery charges aside, the unhappy couple were never destined to walk down the aisle according to Sizemore's publicist, Michelle Bega. "The individual is not Mr. Sizemore's girlfriend or fianc?e," says Bega.

In fact, Sizemore's camp is portraying the actor as the victim. His attorney, Robert Barta, says, "Tom Sizemore is a popular and nice guy. An individual became unruly when asked to leave and was escorted out of Mr. Sizemore's house. Subsequently, the individual asked me, Mr. Sizemore's attorney, for money. This is a shakedown and we are confident that it will go away."

This isn't the first time the 38-year-old has found himself behind bars. Back in 1997 the burly actor was arrested and booked for felony spousal abuse after an argument with his first wife, actress Maeve Quinlan. Sizemore caught a break when Quinlan refused to press charges.

On screen, Sizemore's made a career out of playing stone-faced strong men in uniform in films like Natural Born Killers, Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down. His current legal woes notwithstanding, Sizemore may be forced to turn in his TV badge if Robbery Homicide Division can't scare up more viewers. CBS recently moved the poorly performing but critically acclaimed series from Friday evenings to Saturday nights hoping weekend watchers will tune in to the gritty cop show.