Lawrence was also ordered to remain in an undisclosed treatment program. In the only statement issued on behalf of the ex-sitcom star, his publicist said tersely, "Mr. Lawrence was ordered to continue to participate in a medically supervised or medically approved treatment program. The nature of the medical program ordered is not that of a substance abuse program." Thanks for clearing that up.
The 32-year-old star of such (aptly titled) films as Nothing to Lose, Bad Boys and You So Crazy pleaded no contest (the same as a guilty plea under California law) to battery. Lawrence was not in court Wednesday; his lawyer entered the plea. Lawrence must report back in court in March for a progress report.
The whole mess started back on March 28. Lawrence was dancing at the Gate, a Hollywood-area club, when he and another man bumped on the dance floor. Lawrence, not taking kindly to being jostled, allegedly punched the other man in the face twice. Cops called to the scene said the punchee had a quarter-inch cut on his lip.
That wasn't the first time Lawrence's off-screen shenanigans caught the attention of authorities.
Lawrence was hospitalized in May 1996 after he wandered into traffic brandishing a loaded handgun, screamed obscenities at passing motorists and wrestled with police. His doctor blamed the behavior on exhaustion and dehydration.
That same month, he was arrested and charged for taking a loaded semiautomatic pistol through an X-ray machine at the Burbank Airport.
Last September, he sued his wife for divorce, after a whole 20 months of marriage. Then in January, his TV wife, Tisha Campbell, left his Fox sitcom, claiming that Lawrence sexually harassed her in a lawsuit. Campbell and Lawrence eventually patched things up--she settled the suit out of court and rejoined Martin, which wrapped production in May after a five-year run.
(UPDATED at 9:00 a.m. PT, 9/18/97)