Lane Garrison has become an incarcerated version of Martin Luther King Jr., trying to integrate the inmates at L.A. County Jail.

The way it works as a practical matter ... inmates traditionally stick with their own race -- they eat together, congregate together during recreational hours and so on.  And sources in the Sheriff's Dept. tell us ... the separation actually keeps the jail safer.

We're told Lane is trying to crack the race barrier and he's focusing on something universal to all ... food.  Lane is trying to get people of all races together during meal time and is telling friends it's actually starting to stick. 

Lane is saying he's been able to get African Americans, Hispanics and Caucasians to eat together and they're talking, laughing and generally getting along.

Lane's experiment may be short-lived.  He's supposed to get out of jail on June 29.  He's being held on a parole hold after his domestic violence arrest last month.

Lane Garrison just pled "not guilty" to misdemeanor domestic violence -- after he was charged with striking his ex-GF in the face during a blowout fight last month.

Lane has remained in custody since his April 22nd arrest due to unresolved concerns about his parole status, stemming from his 2007 vehicular manslaughter conviction.

He's scheduled to be let out on $50,000 bail on June 29th. A pretrial hearing has been set for July 11th.

TMZ posted surveillance footage of last month's fight -- which appears to show Lane hitting Ashley Mattingly in the face.


Lane has insisted from the beginning, he did NOT make contact with her -- he was simply trying to retrieve his phone, which Ashley had grabbed from him.

Lane's lawyer tells TMZ, the actor will attend AA while he's out on bail, and will NOT be contacting his ex whatsoever.

Lane Garrison is putting on a real show in jail -- TMZ has learned, the former "Prison Break" star is teaching acting classes ... to his fellow prisoners.

Sources tell TMZ, the L.A. County Sheriff has Lane mentoring about 20 prisoners as part of the "Merit" program -- designed to teach marketable real-world skills to inmates.

In addition to acting, we're told Lane is also giving a crash course in screenwriting as part of the program.

And get this -- Lane's so moved by the experience, we're told he's promised the Sheriff to continue to mentor the prisoners even after he's been released ... whenever that is.

Lane's currently in custody after a domestic violence arrest last month. He's stuck in L.A. County Jail on a parole hold, stemming from his 2007 vehicular manslaughter conviction.

... Line!

Lane Garrison's ex-GF Ashley Mattingly -- whom he allegedly hit in the face during a nuclear argument last month -- tells TMZ, the former "Prison Break" actor has a serious problem ... and he needs treatment, stat.

Ashley was out in L.A. Wednesday, and we asked what advice she had for her ex -- who's still sitting in jail following the April 22nd domestic violence arrest -- and she responded, "Rehab."

It's unclear if Ashley believes Lane needs rehab for substance abuse or anger problems ... or both.

As for Lane's accusations Ashley had sent him incriminating text messages -- Ashley says Lane's full of crap ... no such texts exist.

Lane's expected to plead "not guilty" to the misdemeanor domestic violence charge later today.

Lane Garrison has just been ordered to stay away from his ex-girlfriend -- whom he allegedly hit in the face last month during a nuclear argument -- but that shouldn't be a problem ... because he's still stuck in jail.

Lane just appeared in court -- where he was expected to enter a "not guilty" plea to misdemeanor domestic violence -- but the judge postponed the arraignment due to some lingering questions regarding his parole status.

Lane is currently on parole stemming from his 2007 vehicular manslaughter conviction -- and has remained in custody on a parole hold since his April 22nd arrest for allegedly hitting Ashley Mattingly.

Lane's parole was supposed to end last Saturday, but the arrest threw a monkey wrench in the works -- and now, parole board officials are holding him in custody 'til they figure out their next move.

The judge conditionally set bail at $50,000 today -- but Lane can ONLY bail out if the parole hold is lifted first.

Translation: Lane ain't going anywhere ... at least for now. His arraignment has been rescheduled for Friday.

Lane Garrison's girlfriend told him she had been cheating on him during their 8-month relationship, and that may have triggered what appears to be a brutal confrontation later that day.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... according to the police report, the night before the incident, Lane got drunk at the Playboy Mansion, and got thrown out. Lane's girlfriend, Ashley Mattingly, was also at the party and apparently the incident was the final straw for her.

The next day -- last Saturday -- Mattingly texted Garrison that she was breaking up with him and confessed she had been "seeing someone else" while dating him.

According to the police report, later that day, Garrison went to Mattingly's Bev Hills apartment, waited for her and when she arrived he said, "Baby I love you. Come here." They began to argue and according to what Mattingly told cops, Lane grabbed her by her hair from behind, threw her to the ground and began punching and kicking her in the face and head.

The surveillance video (below) -- obtained by TMZ -- only shows one physical incident -- where Lane appears to slap Ashley. But Ashley's account is backed up by 3 witnesses who spoke with cops. According to the police report, one witness said he saw Lane punch Ashley in the face and head. The second witness told cops a similar story.



A third witness -- Stephanie -- told cops she saw Lane bang Mattingly's head on the mirror and then punch her 4 times with closed fists. Stephanie says Lane was screaming, "F**k you bitch. You cheated on me."

Ashley says the day after the incident Lane called her and said he was going to kill himself.

Lane also spoke with cops and claimed he never struck Ashely during their relationship.

We know Lane says he wants to fight it, but when he sees the police report we're guessing he's going to cop a plea. His bigger problem is that he faces a parole revocation for a 2007 manslaughter conviction.

Lane Garrison -- the guy who never fought the manslaughter charge against him in 2007 -- will fight tooth and nail in the domestic violence case that was just filed against him -- because he says he never struck his ex GF.

We've learned Garrison -- who was charged yesterday with misdemeanor domestic violence -- will plead not guilty this AM. 

Garrison is accused of striking Ashley Mattingly at her Bev Hills apartment last week. The D.A. believes the surveillance video shows the "Prison Break" actor striking Ashley in the face, but Garrison's lawyer, Harland Braun, says Garrison was merely trying to grab his cell phone which Ashley snatched from him.


And there's this twist -- the judge who will arraign Lane today -- Elden Fox -- is the same judge who handled his manslaughter case. Garrison pled guilty in the death of a high school student who was a passenger in Lane's car and killed when the intoxicated actor slammed into a tree.


8:45 AM PT -- Lane will not enter his plea today. His arraignment has been continued to Monday.

Lane Garrison has been charged with misdemeanor domestic violence ... TMZ has learned.

The L.A. County District Attorney filed the charges, based on surveillance video which appears to show Lane slapping former girlfriend Ashley Mattingly in the face last Saturday at her Beverly Hills apartment.

Lane's lawyer tells TMZ he was merely reaching for his phone and it was not a slap, but apparently the D.A. begs to differ.

Garrison is being held without bail because he's on a parole hold. You'll recall Garrison was convicted of vehicular manslaughter back in 2007 and went to prison.

If convicted of domestic violence, he faces a year in jail, and he could do even more time if his parole is violated.

Lane Garrison's lawyer says his client will not be charged with felony domestic violence for allegedly brutalizing his former girlfriend Saturday night ... at least not immediately.

Harland Braun tells TMZ, he spoke with the D.A. this morning and was told prosecutors don't have sufficient information right now to file a case, but that could change as the investigation continues.

A D.A. official tells us the case is under review and it still could be filed ... and that could happen as early as today.

Braun also tells TMZ ... he is getting in touch with the parole board -- Lane is on parole for a 2007 manslaughter conviction -- to see if the board will take action against the actor. Lane is currently being held on a parole hold in Beverly Hills jail.

Lane's former GF, Ashley Mattingly, claims he brutalized her Saturday night and says the surveillance video -- obtained by TMZ -- proves it. Braun says the video does NOT show Lane striking Ashley ... he was merely reaching for the cell phone she grabbed from him.

Braun says he believes his client was convincing when he spoke with Bev Hills detectives, and that's why no immediate charges have been filed.


The D.A. has requested additional time to investigate the incident before deciding whether or not to file a felony domestic violence charge against Garrison. Garrison is still in custody.

Lane Garrison -- who is sitting in jail after being arrested Sunday for felony domestic violence -- told Beverly Hills detectives Monday he never struck his ex-girlfriend, and he says the surveillance video proves it.

Lane and his ex-girlfriend, Ashley Mattingly, got into a verbal argument that turned physical Saturday night and the surveillance video, obtained by TMZ, shows Lane with what looks like an outstretched, closed fist make contact with Ashley's face. 

But Lane told detectives ... what really happened was that Ashley had grabbed his cell phone and the video actually shows him reaching to grab his phone back -- NOT striking her.


Lane says he ended up getting Ashley's cell phone, and that's when she threw his phone against the wall and smashed it. He says when he walked out, he childishly threw her cell phone in retaliation.

When you look at the surveillance video closely, Lane's scenario is plausible.

Our sources also say Lane told detectives there are text messages from Ashley that are incriminating and that's why they were fighting over the cell phone -- she didn't want him disclosing any of the info she sent to him.

Former Playboy Playmate Ashley Mattingly says ... her ex-boyfriend Lane Garrison has attacked her on multiple occasions ... and she has the photos to prove it.

Mattingly just appeared on "TMZ Live" ... and told us the former "Prison Break" star beat her up just a few months ago ... leaving marks all over her chest and arms.

Mattingly says Lane persuaded her not to press charges because he was almost off parole ... stemming from his 2006 vehicular manslaughter conviction ... and she felt bad for the guy.

But after Saturday's incident -- in which Garrison was captured on tape smacking Mattingly in the face -- Ashley says, "Enough is enough."

Ashley tells us she had tried to break up with Lane several times over the past several months, but claims he's like a "leech" ... who refused to let her go.