TLC's Lisa Lopes pleads guilty to burning boyfriend's mansion; gets 5 years probation

Jet, Jan 23, 1995

Rap singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of the hit group TLC, recently pleaded guilty to burning down the mansion belonging to her boyfriend, Atlanta Falcons receiver Andre Rison.

The couple appeared in court together, smiling and holding hands, when Lopes was sentenced to a half-way house, given five years probation and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.

Rison has since forgiven Lopes, who in June started a fire that gutted his $1 million mansion (JET, June 27, 1994). The couple plan to get married.

Rison told the judge hearing the case: "I can guarantee you that it will never happen again. It was a great learning experience."

Lopes must complete treatment programs for drug and alcohol abuse. She must also go through a counseling program for battered women. Evidence presented at the hearing indicated Rison had hit her just before the fire.