A legal battle has erupted between Joey Ramone's brother and Johnny Ramone's widow over the band's trademarks and intellectual property.

Photo Credit: The Ramones by Danny Fields, 1977

Mitchel Hyman (Mickey Leigh), Joey Ramone's brother, has filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court against Linda Cummings-Ramone, Johnny Ramone's widow, alleging improper use of the band's legacy and trademarks.

The lawsuit highlights that none of the original Ramones members were related, despite sharing the stage name. Following the deaths of all band members, the intellectual property rights are split between Leigh and Cummings-Ramone.

Key points from the lawsuit:

• Leigh accuses Cummings-Ramone of exploiting the band's legacy by presenting herself as "the widow of Johnny Ramone"
• The filing claims she adopted the name "Linda Ramone" only after John Cummings' death
• Leigh argues she has exceeded previously established legal limits on using the Ramone name
• The suit claims she falsely positions herself as the band's official spokesperson and "keeper of the legacy"

This legal dispute follows a previous controversy when Cummings-Ramone filed her own lawsuit regarding Netflix's planned biopic based on Mickey Leigh's memoir, "I Slept With Joey Ramone," starring Pete Davidson. She argued the adaptation would present a one-sided version of the band's history.

Related Articles

Previous Articles