Richie said of the incident between his then-wife Brenda Harvey and the woman he was dating at the time, Diane Alexander -- which ended in an arrest and Richie knowing, for certain, his marriage was over. Lionel Richie is speaking out on a fight that ended his marriage to first wife Brenda Harvey -- one between her and the woman who would become his second wife, Diane Alexander. Richie details the incident in his new book, "Truly," via excerpts from both PEOPLE and E! Richie and Harvey tied the knot in 1975, adopting daughter Nicole Richie together in 1983. None of us had been in this situation," wrote Richie.