Abigail Johnson from Wikipedia, free use. Richie Ramone, Richard Reinhardt, copyright, lawsuit |
http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/02/05/65108.htm
I noted in the article Tiffany Krog is referred to as his attorney. While she is an attorney she is actually supposedly Richie's fiance. She likes to call herself Tiffany Ramone. If she's giving legal advice to Richie, it's probably bad advice. She has complaints against her bar license and bad reviews online. She also has a criminal record. She states Okabe was just a "disgruntled ex-bass player" who "was fired because he did a bad job." That sounds familiar. I bet Krog took that from Amanda Lollar's playbook. If anyone makes a complaint about you or sues you, you just lie and state they are a "disgruntled ex" fill in the blank.
Below is video of Richie Ramone stating Okabe is a great bass player. I see he's also played many concerts with him.
Jiro Okabe and Richie Ramone used for comment purposes |
Jiro Okabe and Richie Ramone, used for comment purposes |
For some reason I've been getting emails about Richie Ramone's (real name Richard Reinhardt) lawsuits for copyright infringement which he lost. Seems Richie Ramone is telling everyone he won those lawsuits. He lost those lawsuits. Below are copies of the lawsuit dockets and the court order. You can clearly see he lost.
First a brief introduction to clear up some mis-statements by others. The Ramones formed in 1974 and disbanded in 1996. They were a popular group before Richie ever played with them. Their drummer had some issues with alcoholism so they needed another drummer temporarily. The group the Ramones hired Richard Reinhardt in August 1984 to be a performing artist. There is a 30 pages contract which clearly spells all of this out. The contract is public. So are these documents.
Richie Ramone relinquished all copyright and any and all other rights to the Ramones for any compositions, singing, performances...in present and future formats. He was strictly a hired performer and not a parter. As I look at the copyright site, he is mentioned in a copyright but he owns no copyrights at all.
Around 1987 Richie felt like he deserved some of the tshirt money. Back then kids went to concerts and would buy the tshirt commemorating the concert. Anyway the Ramones said "you are a hired performer, not a partner. You signed away all rights." Richie was upset so he quit hoping that would force them to give him tshirt money. Instead they called up the old drummer who came back and carried on as before, not even a hiccup.
This of course has left Richie Ramone very bitter and poor. He turned his back on music then went to work in the hotel industry in Los Angeles. I think he did event planning or something at the Biltmore. His wife then was Annette Stark the writer from 1987 to about 2010.
The Ramones not including Richie were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2007 they were inducted into another hall of fame minus Richie. In 2011 the Ramones got a life time achievement award at the Grammy's, minus Richie.
This first lawsuit Richie filed in 2003. He lost due to failure to prosecute. His lawyer just stopped responding so the Judge dismissed it. What most likely happened is Richie's lawyer saw his 30 page contract which clearly shows he signed away any and all rights.
http://www.animaladvocates.us/richie_ramone_lawsuit_2003.pdf
This second lawsuit Richie filed in 2007. He lost in 2008 due to failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. He did not show copyright infringement.
http://www.animaladvocates.us/richie_ramone_lawsuit_2007.pdf
This is the Judge's order in the 2007 lawsuit. The Judge clearly states there was no copyright infringement because Richie signed away any and all rights to compositions, music, performance in any current and future form. Richie tried to argue that the contract did not cover mp3's and digital music. The contract clearly states any current or future form.
http://www.animaladvocates.us/richie_ramone_court_order.pdf
Below is the 1984 contract. It clearly states Richard Reinhardt is not a Ramone. He is not part of the group. This is why he was never inducted into any hall of fame and did not receive a life time achievement award. He merely attended the event.
http://www.animaladvocates.us/richie_ramone_contract.pdf
Below is Richard Reinhardt's motion opposing the award of legal fees to Defendants. The Defendants stated that Richard Reinhardt has a history of filing frivolous, meritless lawsuits against the Ramones for years. "Plaintiff's 'history of commencing, without success, multiple litigations against the Defendants." For this reason they requested fees. Richard Reinhardt responded by saying he and his wife are too poor to afford the $28,000 in legal fees. $28,000 is actually pretty cheap even though the case never even got started. It was dismissed. Richard Reinhardt stated in the below document "Plaintiff with his wife earned approximately $127,000 in 2007." Richard Reinhardt then submitted tax returns under seal while he was in Scottsdale, Arizona March 2008. Richard Reinhardt filed an appeal then withdrew it October 2009. The Judge did not force Richard Reinhardt to pay legal fees most likely because he couldn't afford it.
http://www.animaladvocates.us/opposition_motion_legal_fees.pdf
Richie has always been very angry about this situation. He is the one responsible for all of this. In fact he owes everything he has to the Ramones. He got super lucky their drummer wasn't able to play and they hired him. Richie even admits the Ramones were a big group before he worked for them. He is the one who decided to quit. HE quit. He should be thankful he was able to play with them.
I remember Richie's ex-wife Annette Stark telling me on the phone how Richie will win millions in this lawsuit. He lost...and it gets worse. The other side asked for attorneys' fees. Richie was forced to state he and his wife are penniless, destitute, don't even own a home. He begged the judge to not make him pay attorneys fees by saying I believe that he will file for bankruptcy if the Judge orders him to pay fees.
Even after all of this was written up in articles and such Richie Ramone is telling everyone he won the copyright lawsuits. No, he did not. I just looked at his wiki page! Someone edited it to read that he won the lawsuit. Then they quote a source...that does not exist. The link goes nowhere. I bet I know who did that. I also see that "someone" (Krog?) has been falsely editing the Ramones wikipedia page giving Richie credit for things he never did.
And how did I get involved in all of this? I was interviewed for a story on LA Animal Services by Richie's ex-wife Annette Stark. She is mentally ill. One second she said "you're my only friend in LA. You're the only sane person in LA..." Next second she's yelling at the top of her lungs "I will kill you, you mother f....!" Next second "I'm sorry. I just get a little stressed when my assignments are due. Oopsie." Next second, well, you can guess. She also threatened the Mayor of LA, General Manager, Deputy Mayor, Mayor's daughter, City Attorney... Oddly enough Tiffany Krog was her best friend. Now Tiffany is Richie's fiance. These people are very, very strange.
Interesting find. Richard Reinhardt lies about his age. He was born in 1956, not 1957. He admitted his true age in 1986 and 1987 in a copyright filing by Dee Dee and telephone directories when he lived in Brooklyn, New York. Why lie about one year?
Richie Ramone, Richard Reinhardt born August 11, 1956 |
Richie Ramone, Richard Reinhardt born August 11, 1956 |
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