Former Motley Crue [ tickets ] drummer Tommy Lee [ tickets ] has pleaded no contest to assault charges stemming from a 1997 incident in which he allegedly poured beer over the head of a security guard during a concert in Greensboro, N.C. A judge sentenced Lee to 18 months of unsupervised probation and ordered him to pay $161 to cover fines and court costs.

In exchange for Lee's Tuesday (3/7) plea, prosecutors dropped a charge of felony riot with ethnic intimidation.

The charges were filed following a 1997 concert at Greensboro Coliseum, during which Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx [ tickets ] allegedly directed racial slurs at a black guard and encouraged the crowd to attack him. Sixx and Lee also allegedly poured beer on the guard's head. After the show, bandmembers claimed they were provoked when they saw the security guard roughing up some fans.

Lee turned himself in to the Guiliford County Sheriff's department last October, shortly after Sixx was arrested on an outstanding warrant following a Motley Crue concert.

Sixx is expected to be in court within two weeks to face his charges.

According to the Greensboro News & Record, the security guard has filed a civil suit against Sixx, Lee and others in connection with the case, which is scheduled to be heard in May. He reportedly seeks more than $75,000 for claims including verbal assault, battery, and intentional infliction of mental distress.