Methods of Mayhem leader and ex-Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee pleaded no contest to simple-assault charges Monday (March 6) in Guilford County, N.C., Superior Court, a court clerk said. He was sentenced to serve 18 months unsupervised probation and pay $161 in fines and court costs. Lee was accused of hurling racial slurs at African-American security guard John Allen and encouraging the audience to assault him during an October 1997 concert at Greensboro Coliseum. A felony charge of inciting a riot with ethnic animosity was dropped, according to the clerk. A publicist for Lee did not return a call for comment. Lee left the glam-metal band Mötley Crüe last year. Methods of Mayhem's self-titled debut is a rock/rap hybrid with guest appearances from Kid Rock and Snoop Dogg.