https://www.lennonthemobsterandthelawyer.com/home daily 1.0 2023-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/44520b76-9315-49df-b0f5-c6ff658ed811/lennon+the+mobster+and+the+lawyer+book+cover.png Home - JAY BERGEN John Lennon’s lawyer from 1975-76. © Paul Mahaffey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/0d695c46-773e-42e9-a754-f04bebf55e8c/AUTHOR+Jay+Bergen.jpg Home - JAY BERGEN, AUTHOR John Lennon’s lawyer from 1975 to 1977. © Paul Mehaffey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/f1618b9d-5140-4c9d-b94f-1abd19df7796/retailer+logos+white.png Home - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/82e9d457-33a9-4cbf-b7c1-41cc010f74d5/AA3493CB-929D-4CFB-84A0-9572042C9450.PNG Home - A Cheerful Reunion Shortly after I began writing LENNON, the MOBSTER, & the LAWYER The Untold Story, on October 15, 2017, Taj Mahal and Keb Mo appeared at the Peace Center in Greenville, SC. DiAnne and I were able to arrange a backstage meeting with Taj Mahal after the show. I had a very thin connection to him through Jesse Ed Davis, the lead guitar player on John Lennon’s album, Rock ’n’ Roll. Jesse Ed, a trial witness of mine who gave important testimony (“you don’t need a lead sheet to play ‘Tutti Frutti,’ you know.”) was a prominent person in my book (Chapter 24). Jesse Ed played on Taj Mahal’s first four albums beginning in 1968 — Taj Mahal/guitar & piano, also with Ry Cooder/guitar; The Natch’l Blues/guitar, also with Al Cooper/piano and Earl Palmer/drums; the double album Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home/electric & acoustic guitar, piano, organ; and Taj/lead guitar in 1987. Taj Mahal and Jesse Ed were guest artists on The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus live album in 1968. That’s when they met John Lennon who was also a guest artist on the album. It was released as a film directed by Michael Lindsey Hogg in 1997. Jesse Ed died of a drug overdose in 1988. I had seen a quote by Taj Mahal online about Jesse Ed being a wonderful guitar player and person and expressing how sad he felt about his passing. When we met I explained that I was John Lennon’s lawyer in the Morris Levy case. Taj Mahal immediately said: “Oh, the Chuck Berry ‘You Can’t Catch Me’ case.” That led to a discussion about the Lennon/Levy litigation, the fact that I was writing a book about the trial, Jesse Ed’s role in the trial, and Jesse Ed and the “Two Puerto Rican Girls." On June 4th, Taj Mahal returned to the Peace Center headlining a show with Los Lobos. DiAnne and I were again able to meet him backstage where we had another lively time with him. He remembered our previous meeting and the Lennon/Levy case. I signed a copy of my book for him and took some photos. I mentioned that we were octogenarians, he being 81 and I, 85. We laughed about that. He was also visited by two friends of his, Jean and Donnie Blackley, who live next door to his daughter in Spartanburg, SC. Jean took the photo of me pointing at Taj Mahal. So we were able to reconnect with Taj Mahal and make two new friends. It was a great way to end a terrific show and evening. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1639500202248-TW7JJAB4M21U7ABW3WWE/Screen+Shot+2021-12-14+at+11.43.16+AM.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1639500202248-TW7JJAB4M21U7ABW3WWE/Screen+Shot+2021-12-14+at+11.43.16+AM.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1639500202248-TW7JJAB4M21U7ABW3WWE/Screen+Shot+2021-12-14+at+11.43.16+AM.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1642102217076-T8FZARJ91CAD7W4PX7U8/R-393_JohnLennon_NYC_Profile_1974_Gruen.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1647983358174-B2O0EB2PU0WV3IB3BUQG/R-285_JLennon_OnWall1974_Gruen.jpg Home https://www.lennonthemobsterandthelawyer.com/the-characters daily 0.75 2022-05-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/6619c2f0-a14e-42c5-bdfe-87c820c3b209/John+recording.png The Characters - John Lennon After reuniting with Yoko Ono in early February 1975 John Lennon began withdrawing from the music business. At the same time Morris Levy, the Mafia connected record company owner and music publisher, falsely claimed that Lennon had orally agreed to permit him to market via TV an unfinished Lennon album of rock ’n’ roll ‘50s oldies. Lennon decided to not be bullied by this gangster. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/d0ab8a0b-1d9e-4711-af2f-2570605e3d8a/19SloppyLouies.jpg The Characters - Jay Bergen A partner in a prestigious NYC law firm, an experienced trial lawyer and an early and longtime Beatles fan was in a meeting with lawyers for Capitol Records when John Lennon surprisingly joined the meeting. So began a working relationship and friendship which enabled John and Jay to thoroughly prepare for the trial in January 1976. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/5d3746d9-0f16-4fc7-afb8-676f81f9dce8/Morris_Levy%2C_at_the_Roulette_office.jpg The Characters - Morris Levy Widely recognized in the music industry as an associate of Vincent “The Chin” Gigante, head of NYC’s Genovese crime family, was a dangerous grifter. With a reputation of repeatedly cheating singers and songwriters out of royalties, Levy was reputedly the model for Hesh Rabkin, the music industry mobster and associate of Tony Soprano in the TV series The Sopranos. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/65917649-3042-442c-96b7-59941df26e63/EM20_1973_7_Gruen.jpg The Characters - Yoko Ono Yoko “auditioned” Jay Bergen in the drawing room of the Lennons’ seventh floor apartment in the Dakota in March 1975. She had read the two complaints filed by Levy’s lawyers and asked Jay many penetrating questions. Satisfied that Jay was the lawyer to represent her husband’s interests, she and John attended twenty trial days together. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/56138f88-b6e4-4d9b-8bb6-b054a7af161c/eight_col_jesse_ed_davis_b_w.jpg The Characters - Jesse Ed Davis A Native American (Commanche/Kiowa) and brilliant guitarist with a sharp witty mind, Jesse Ed played lead guitar on Rock ’n’ Roll and Walls and Bridges (John’s last solo album of his songs) and was an excellent witness. He invited me to join him and The Faces and Rod Stewart when they played Cobo Hall in Detroit in October 1975. It was a night I will not soon forget, but more on that later because it’s not in the book. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/3851bd82-48be-4ffa-aff3-aea0d11bb550/May+Pang+2.jpg The Characters - May Pang John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s beautiful, bright assistant who was pushed into John’s arms by Yoko when she ousted him from their NYC Dakota apartment in 1973 becoming his companion for the next eighteen months. This led to John’s “Lost Weekend” in Los Angeles and the ill fated start of recording John’s oldies rock ’n’ roll album overseen by the erratic Phil Spector. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/f1618b9d-5140-4c9d-b94f-1abd19df7796/retailer+logos+white.png The Characters - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1647033332553-NZ1MHL4ATU6UN94NMPTB/Screen+Shot+2022-03-11+at+4.15.14+PM.png The Characters https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1647033332553-NZ1MHL4ATU6UN94NMPTB/Screen+Shot+2022-03-11+at+4.15.14+PM.png The Characters https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1647982884395-KNCBO1PW4GKPGE3K5T00/2Court1976_Gruen.jpg The Characters https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1647983864815-5BDRJMHEUE38JKL9YRD7/R-327_John_Yoko_1973_Gruen.jpg The Characters https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1647983994802-QRDR8F0OXIH4QKPEEC79/EM44_2-13a_1974_Gruen.jpg The Characters https://www.lennonthemobsterandthelawyer.com/trial-archives daily 0.75 2024-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1648239769390-46BR4SOW5XM2XPROZL3H/Rock+N+Roll+Album_FRONT.jpg Trial Archives https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1648239769133-EZZJSZG7QZ8CW7U9KH8Q/Rock+N+Roll+Album_BACK.jpg Trial Archives https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1648241998412-1N07UFUY0QH3GAKIRI65/Letter+pg1.jpg Trial Archives https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1648241998856-45BSBSI3M2MKRGNRWQRV/Letter+pg2.jpg Trial Archives https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1648241998962-P5TRVM22NHMP9KI9JP0E/Letter+pg3.jpg Trial Archives https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/dd0c78fd-ea9a-415e-badd-ef49f557ae1c/8267EBBB-A393-4405-942D-4746C762134E.png Trial Archives - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/16e50e26-5df4-49ea-abf4-7cfe1e9181eb/IMG_7044.jpg Trial Archives - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/dc9debcb-cb59-4299-bda2-4600740a2309/8392.PNG Trial Archives - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1b3ae96c-1fc3-4b0d-9712-59b3f9df5c80/IMG_7043.jpg Trial Archives - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1648239770329-N4EJL6SSA5DOIFM49P83/Roots+Album_FRONT.jpg Trial Archives https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1648239770010-SFZU8Z2UJ9O124DTY5PN/Roots+Album_BACK.jpg Trial Archives https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/65339675-6244-429d-8d75-274efba3bdbc/7...PNG Trial Archives - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/c2c0db2c-f3bd-40d3-b36a-b284ce6e4a4f/9...PNG Trial Archives - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/f1618b9d-5140-4c9d-b94f-1abd19df7796/retailer+logos+white.png Trial Archives - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1648236763498-7ND6981HFJPNY372S16T/JL3_1-4_1974_Gruen.jpg Trial Archives https://www.lennonthemobsterandthelawyer.com/jay-bergen daily 0.75 2022-05-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/25a1f929-0068-418c-8a53-43299fe805c5/19SloppyLouies.jpg Meet the Author - Make it stand out John Lennon and Yoko with legal team (Jay Bergen at far right) at Sloppy Louie’s in New York, 1975. Photo © Bob Gruen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/0d695c46-773e-42e9-a754-f04bebf55e8c/AUTHOR+Jay+Bergen.jpg Meet the Author Author Jay Bergen. © Paul Mehaffey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/f1618b9d-5140-4c9d-b94f-1abd19df7796/retailer+logos+white.png Meet the Author - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1639500202248-TW7JJAB4M21U7ABW3WWE/Screen+Shot+2021-12-14+at+11.43.16+AM.png Meet the Author https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1642102217076-T8FZARJ91CAD7W4PX7U8/R-393_JohnLennon_NYC_Profile_1974_Gruen.jpg Meet the Author https://www.lennonthemobsterandthelawyer.com/the-latest-news daily 0.75 2023-11-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1694980666320-NGFZHOM2EHKUDQHO49N6/Client+Review+Testimonial+Instagram+Post+-+1+%281%29.PNG THE LATEST NEWS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1694980688734-BJRVZ0BAGT2Y2L7JRTBD/Client+Review+Testimonial+Instagram+Post+-+1.PNG THE LATEST NEWS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/0539b68e-d887-4d5e-bc04-01d3624f9877/IMG_6467.jpg THE LATEST NEWS - A RECAP OF THE EVENT The 47th Midwest Fest For Beatles Fans was in mid-August. Looking at our Fest photos made me want to share a few of returning friends from 2022’s Fest and new 2023 friends. The Fests are gatherings of people of all ages who are simply HAPPY to spend a weekend experiencing BEATLES fun and joy created decades ago by four lads from Liverpool. The Fests’ message since their 1974 NYC inaugural was and remains “All You Need Is Love” musically expressed by John in 1967. It is sorely needed in today’s stressed out world! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/9ab2a0fb-b1e7-4c31-83e6-7d1b47e18893/IMG_3313.jpeg THE LATEST NEWS - The Trip of A Lifetime… DiAnne & Jay on the ramparts of the walled city of Saint-Malo in Brittany overlooking the English Channel. It is "a historic French port ... with a long history of piracy, earning much wealth from local extortion and overseas adventures.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/dc99ae66-e5f5-468a-8c0f-10a789a86191/Beige+Aesthetic+Minimalist+Journey+Post+Picture+Instagram+Post+%281%29.jpg THE LATEST NEWS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/ed644a0f-d256-4ef7-8955-0c9e620725c5/1.jpg THE LATEST NEWS - Enjoying the Scene… (Left) DiAnne & Jay on the ramparts of the Chateau de Dinan in Brittany. It's almost 1,000 years old. The 8,500 foot ramparts still surround the old town. (Right) DiAnne & Jay in front of the Chartres Cathedral. Built mostly between 1194 and 1220, it was designated a World Heritage Sight by UNESCO IN 1979 which called it a “high point of French Gothic https://www.lennonthemobsterandthelawyer.com/press daily 0.75 2022-12-13 https://www.lennonthemobsterandthelawyer.com/contact daily 0.75 2022-03-31 https://www.lennonthemobsterandthelawyer.com/book-signing daily 0.75 2022-08-02 https://www.lennonthemobsterandthelawyer.com/upcoming-events daily 0.75 2024-04-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/443bc097-c12f-4d32-b2c4-282042001988/Teal+Gradient+Fade+Feature+Personality+Instagram+Post.png Upcoming Events - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.lennonthemobsterandthelawyer.com/store daily 0.75 2023-05-23 https://www.lennonthemobsterandthelawyer.com/store/lennon-the-mobster-the-lawyer monthly 0.5 2022-03-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b7ad70db99ec2448855463/1642014741939-6LVQPP5SHA9KWC8OHB70/lennon%2Bthe%2Bmobster%2Band%2Bthe%2Blawyer%2Bbook%2Bcover.jpg Store - LENNON, the MOBSTER & the LAWYER