The Beatles

FBI files released

The FBI has released most of its files on the Nixon administration's investigation of John Lennon in 1972. Among the more ridiculous "evidence" against Lennon was a memo stating that Lennon had contact with a New York activist who had trained her parrot to squawk, "Right on!"

The agency turned over 40 pages of files to University of California, Irvine history professor Jonathan M. Wiener, who has waged a 14-year legal battle to get the documents released. The FBI had claimed it could not release the documents on national security grounds, since Nixon was having Lennon investigated for alleged anti-Vietnam War activities. An FBI informant had told agents she met with leftists planning to disrupt the 1972 Republican National Convention, and that Lennon had told them he would attend the convention as long as it was a peaceful demonstration and his appearance was not advertised, according to a 1972 FBI memo.

"The investigation of Lennon was precipitated because a source provided the FBI with information that Lennon was going to contribute and did contribute $75,000 to an organization which said it was going to disrupt the Republican National Convention in 1972," said Justice Department spokesman Joe Krovisky, according to the Los Angeles Times. "When the FBI got that information it was obligated to check it out."

However, nothing in the documents linked Lennon with any illegal acts, and in fact, he did not attend the convention, the Times reported.

Wiener had filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the information while working on a book, "Come Together: John Lennon in His Time," (University of Illinois Press), and sued in 1983 saying the FBI had not complied with his legal request. Following several court victories for Wiener's case, the FBI finally relented in a settlement announced Sept. 24 that included releasing most of the documents on Lennon. The agency also agreed to pay more than $200,000 for Wiener's legal expenses.

Ten documents remain unreleased, and parts of the documents Wiener received were blacked out. The FBI claims it is protecting the rights of informants.

Wiener said the documents don't reveal much that is new -- other than a few bizarre details -- however, he considers them important because they show the FBI concealed that it knew all along that the ex-Beatle's anti-war activities were nonviolent and that it had no reason to investigate Lennon to begin with, the New York Times reported. Wiener also said he would continue to sue the bureau for the release of the last 10 pages of its Lennon file.

There are any number of Beatles pages on the Web. Although I make no real recommendations, here is The Inner Light, and The Beatles Headquarters, a huge (graphics intense, slow download) site which also gets you into a Beatles Webring, And it's made with a Macintosh.

Nic's Abode | Back to music page