Drummer gets a little leeway with his kids

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES – Tommy Lee won a court round Tuesday in a bitter custody battle with ex-wife Pamela Anderson, who claims the former Motley Crue drummer is an unfit father who exposes his children to danger.

Superior Court Judge Lee Smalley Edmon denied a request by Anderson’s lawyers to require monitoring of Lee’s visits with 5-year-old Brandon and 3-year-old Dylan.

“Mr. Lee has gone for quite some time without monitored visits,” Edmon said. “I don’t see anything that leads me to believe that monitoring is necessary to protect the children.”

Lee said he was happy with the ruling.

“I think it was fair,” he said. “I just want to be with my kids.”

Anderson said she would continue fighting for what’s best for the children.

“I’m just acting like any other mother,” she said. “I will protect my children until my last day and my last dollar.”

Anderson’s attorney, Susan Harris, suggested a full-time nanny in place of a monitor, at least until a doctor has completed his psychological testing on Lee, which should take about nine weeks.

Edmon presented the option to Lee’s attorney, but he refused, saying his client believes parents should be responsible for raising their children.

The judge ruled that the children can’t ride with Lee on his motorcycle until further notice. She also told Lee and Anderson to avoid making negative comments about each other to the children, and said they also should try to prevent third-party insults.

The next hearing was scheduled for March 19.

The 34-year-old Anderson, best known for her role on TV’s “Baywatch,” filed a Superior Court petition last month seeking full custody. She claimed Lee is a “very angry, unstable man who presents a danger to others, particularly when he is using alcohol, as he is presently doing.” She said he’s also a bad role model.

In a declaration filed with the court, Lee said he’s been clean and sober for two years and poses no danger to his children.

“I have never put my children at risk,” the 39-year-old musician said in his petition.

Lee didn’t publicly discuss his ex-wife’s allegations Tuesday, but said he plans to ask the court for equal custody.

“I’m still trying to figure it all out. All this is coming out of nowhere. Maybe it’s because I’m happy. My life is going really well right now,” he said.

“Maybe she’s planning to move away with her boyfriend (Kid Rock), and she can’t do that without full custody. I don’t know.”

Lee was arrested in 1998 for assaulting Anderson at their Malibu home. He pleaded no contest to felony corporal injury to a spouse and was sentenced to 180 days in jail and three years in state prison, both of which were suspended. He also was ordered to serve 200 hours of community service and time in a spousal abuse treatment program.

Copyright ©2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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