Lawsuit Filed Over Ramones' Legacy Dispute

The ongoing legal dispute over the Ramones' legacy has intensified as Mickey Leigh, brother of the late Joey Ramone, has filed a lawsuit against Linda Cummings-Ramone, widow of Johnny Ramone, accusing her of infringing on the band's trademarks. Leigh claims that Cummings-Ramone is unlawfully exploiting the Ramones' goodwill for personal gain, labeling her a 'blatant self-promoter' who falsely presents herself as the heiress to the band's legacy. This conflict follows a previous lawsuit filed by Cummings-Ramone against Leigh regarding an upcoming Netflix biopic, which she argues was developed without her approval. Leigh's counterclaims emphasize that Cummings-Ramone's actions violate a 2019 arbitration ruling that stipulates their equal control over the band's intellectual property. The tensions between the two heirs highlight the complicated history of the Ramones, whose members were not actually related but adopted a familial persona. The legal battle continues to unfold in federal court in New York.