Tommy Lee is cutting his losses. On Tuesday, the Mötley Crüe drummer plead no contest in Malibu Municipal Court to a felony charge of spousal abuse stemming from a February incident involving his estranged wife, former Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson Lee, and their infant son, Dylan Jagger. And this time his brush with the law will cost him more than a slap on the wrist: Lee must serve at least six months in county jail, and could be given up to a year behind bars when he is sentenced on May 20. The rocker will remain free on $500,000 bond until the sentencing.

Once Lee serves his jail time, he's expected to be prohibited from seeing Anderson, who was in court on Tuesday. The drummer will be allowed to see his children once a week, although the visits will be monitored. Outside the courthouse, Pamela, who has filed for divorce, told reporters, "I'm very proud of Tommy. I'm happy that he took responsibility for this. And I think it's the first step towards healing. And I'm anxious for him to see his kids. And I'm sure his kids are anxious to see him." Anderson, who is attempting to shake her leather miniskirted image, brushed away questions about whether her soon- to- be- ex- husband deserved six months behind bars. "I don't want to comment on that," she said.

Tommy was arrested on February 24 after Pamela called 911 to report a domestic dispute. Police arrived to find the actress had suffered minor injuries, including a broken fingernail and redness on her lower back. Pamela contends that Tommy assaulted and battered her while she was holding Dylan, who was then seven weeks old. Lee had been charged with spousal abuse, child abuse, and unlawful possession of a firearm.

By pleading no contest in the incident with Anderson, the thirty- five- year- old musician automatically violated the terms of his probation on another case. Lee entered a no- contest plea in January to a misdemeanor battery charge stemming from an assault on lensman Henry Trappler outside L.A.'s Viper Room in September of 1996. Trappler suffered a broken pelvis and rib during the incident. Lee was ordered to pay $17,500 restitution, undergo anger- management counseling, and perform 250 hours of community service. He was placed on probation for two years, and still faces a civil suit brought by Trappler.

And Lee faces still more problems with Johnny Law. In December, he and Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx were arrested for allegedly assaulting a security guard at a concert in Phoenix, Arizona. He could receive thirty days in jail if found guilty.