People

Tommy Lee’s case dismissed

Malibu, Calif. — The spousal abuse case against Tommy Lee has been reduced to a misdemeanor and the former Motley Crue drummer was released from a probation sentence he’d been serving for the past five years for allegedly assaulting his ex-wife, actress Pamela Anderson.

Los Angeles County Superior Court spokesman Kyle Christopherson said Lee’s judge also granted a defense motion to dismiss the case Thursday.

The 40-year-old rock star was charged in February 1998 with spousal abuse, child abuse and a firearms violation after Anderson called police from her Malibu home and reported she’d been assaulted during an argument.

Lee pleaded no contest to felony corporal injury to a spouse and was sentenced to terms of 180 days in jail and three years in state prison, both of which were suspended.

Wayward wallaby wrangled

Las Vegas –A self-described cowboy on Thursday lassoed a wallaby that had escaped from singer Wayne Newton’s compound after a two-mile chase through south Las Vegas. Hearing the kangaroolike marsupial was on the loose, Harry Sullard grabbed a lasso and ran after the hopping wallaby, named Priscilla.

Two miles later he got a chance to throw his authentic rodeo rope.

“I’m not very good because I missed him the first two times,” Sullard said. “But I got him the third time. She started kicking but calmed down.”

An animal control officer returned the animal to Newton.

Newton’s publicist, Tricia McCrone, said investigators were trying to determine how Priscilla got out of the compound.

Nothing compares to God

Dublin, Ireland — Sinead O’Connor says she plans to teach religion after quitting the music business this July.

“I am retiring because I want to train to become a religion teacher of primary school children,” the 36-year-old Irish singer said in a letter published Thursday in Dublin’s Evening Herald newspaper.

“This will take some years as I also want to raise my own children, so it may be over 10 years ’til I qualify but I intend to make a start.”

O’Connor, who has two children, said she also plans to work as a “visiting” church singer, “where I can hide and not be looked at. And maybe sing with a choir. Hire myself out for services. NOT WEDDINGS! Don’t believe in them!”

Not-so-amazing adult stunt

New York — Television host John Walsh broke his left ankle in three places trying to mimic a child skateboarder on his syndicated show.

Walsh, 57, fell down a skate ramp Thursday at the Chelsea Piers sports complex in Manhattan, where he was taping an episode of “The John Walsh Show” titled “Amazing Kids with Unbelievable Talents,” show spokesman Gary Rosen said.

The accident was taped, and the episode is scheduled to air May 16, Rosen said. The show’s remaining Thursday and Friday tapings were canceled.