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Video: Charlie Sheen arrested for domestic violence

  1. Closed captioning of: Charlie Sheen arrested for domestic violence

    >>> allings thank you very much. it was not a very merry christmas for charlie sheen , one of tv's highest-paid actors. the 44-year-old spent part of his holiday in jail after being arrested on domestic violence charges. nbc's miguel alma gere has the latest.

    >> reporter: on friday, police in the exclusive community of aspen arrested the 44-year-old actor for domestic violence . his wife, brooke mueller, who was allegedly drunk at 8:30 in the morning, called 911. tmz reports that sheen threatened mueller with a knife. the website later saying he recanted her story.

    >> he could be looking at three years behind bars on the assault charge alone. and if you add up all of the charges, he could be seven and a half years in prison.

    >> reporter: for charlie sheen , who faces two felonies, the charges are the latest in a long string of scandals and controversies. he shot to fame in the late '80s with starring roles in films like " wall street ." but before long, the young actor's career was in jeopardy because of his offscreen lifestyle.

    >> my son wasd admitted here yesterday as a result of a drug overdose .

    >> reporter: the son of martin sheen , charlie sheen has dated porn stars , overdosed on drugs, spent time in rehab and was alleged to have been a top client of hollywood madam, heidi fleiss . in 1990 , he accidentally shot former fianc?e kelly preston , in the arm.

    >> whenever he's in a relationship it seals to go very bad and oftentimes very violent.

    >> reporter: this was all before he married denise richards in 2002 . three years later, richards filed for divorce in what became a nasty public break-up. richards accused sheen of drug and alcohol abuse . the emmy-nominated and award-winning performer is the current star of "two and a half men" the number-one comedy believed to be loosely based on his playboy lifestyle. in which he reportedly makes $20 million a year. a resilient actor making headlines again off-stage. for "today," miguel almaguer, nbc news, hollywood.

updated 12/27/2009 3:49:51 PM ET 2009-12-27T20:49:51

Charlie Sheen and wife Brooke Mueller are planning to undergo counseling after a heated fight at a dinner party in Aspen, Colo., that landed Charlie in jail on domestic violence charges Friday morning.

"They were fighting at a dinner in a friend’s house and it continued until the next morning," a source close to Mueller tells PEOPLE. "Both of them were drinking and neither was supposed to be. They both have histories of alcohol abuse and have made every effort to stop. But things got out of hand."

Sheen, 44, was booked at 11:20 a.m. for second-degree assault, menacing and criminal mischief, according to a spokesperson for the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Department in Aspen, Colo. The actor posted an $8,500 bond Friday night and was released from jail at 7 p.m. He is due in court on Feb. 8, 2010 at 10:30 a.m.

"Charlie went right back to Los Angeles after he was released from jail," the source tells PEOPLE. "Both he and Brooke will undergo counseling and Charlie will get anger management counseling."

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Despite reports, the couple had not been separated in the weeks leading up to the Christmas morning 911 call at the house they were renting with their twin boys, Bob and Max, 9 months.

"Brooke and Charlie have never been separated," the source tells PEOPLE. "And the boys are fine — so precious. They knew nothing about a fight between their parents."

The actor's Colorado-based attorney Richard Cummins tells PEOPLE, "They have two children together and they love one another and they’re going to work through what is a difficult time and they’re going to do that together and as privately as possible."

Sheen's rep, Stan Rosenfield, had no further comment.

Mueller, 32, plans to stay at her rented house in Aspen, and there is no talk of divorce at this time.

"Brooke loves to snowboard and wants to be in Aspen now," the source tells PEOPLE. "After this unfortunate event, they need to be apart for awhile."

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