“Jersey Shore” South Beach Smackdown

Sammi the Sweetheart could face assault charges for Miami club fight

The "Jersey Shore's" Sammi "The Sweetheart" Giancola is being called anything but sweet after an altercation in a South Beach Club has her in quite a situation.

The 22-year-old star of the hit MTV show could be hit with assault charges after a May 8 dust up at Club Dream on South Beach, according to the attorneys for the victim released Tuesday.

Sporting a black eye, 24-year-old Kristen DeMinco held a press conference to discuss her clash with the "Jersey Shore" cast member.

DeMinco was partying in the VIP at Dream with a few of her friends to celebrate a birthday when the Jersey crew and cameras were allowed through the velvet rope. Eventually the two parties started mingling and everything was cool, until DeMinco started talking to an unidentified man.

That's when Giancola appeared out of no where to confront DeMinco.

"She just said 'That's my boyfriend,'" DeMinco said while standing in front of the Miami Beach Police Department.

Then, Giancola allegedly punched DeMinco in the left side of her face twice and then in the head before being pulled away. DeMinco said her head was swollen for several days and her left eye was swollen shut.

"I think she was jealous or whatever. I just wanted to get away from her," she said. "I think MTV encourages this."

After that fight, the self-described "Guidos and Guidettes" got into yet another altercation, and were thrown out of the club, DeMinco's attorneys said.

"If you go around encouraging young people to beat other people up, you are in a part of a criminal enterprise because it is a crime to beat people up," attorney Justin Beckham said.

Miami Beach Police said they did receive a 911 call from DeMinco in which she told the dispatcher that she had some bruises from the assault. She was told to come in to the station a file an official report, but she never showed up.

DeMinco and her attorneys filled out the report today before the press conference. It's unclear if charges will be filed.

DeMinco and her attorneys also announced they will file a civil lawsuit in the case as well. They claim the fight is a regular pattern by MTV to boost ratings for the show. MTV has declined comment on the issue.

The Sammi incident is just one of several run-ins the "Shore" kids have had since they decided to film parts of the second season of their show in Miami. Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi got into a drink-throwing,  food-tossing fight at Ocean's 10 in Miami back in April.

DeMinco said she signed a waiver before the camera crews came into the VIP that permitted her party to be filmed. That could throw a wrench in her civil suit if it is the same contract most South Beach clubs ripped up when asked to be filmed by MTV for the show.

The controversial contract allows the "Jersey Shore" cast members to do pretty much anything to anyone in the establishment without being held responsible. that includes being berated and punched in the face unprovoked. 

DeMinco, who has been in Miami for only six months, said she is contemplating leaving as long as the Jersey Crew is in town.

"I think they need to learn a lesson that you can't just go around hitting people," she said. "I just hope that it stops."

EDITOR'S NOTE: Our story Tuesday on the "Jersey Shore" alleged assault erroneously attributed information to the State Attorney's Office. All information came from the attorneys for Kristen DeMinco.

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