Harley Flanagan files suit against John Joseph for Cro-Mags Trademark

Bassist Harley Flanagan has stated that he has filed a lawsuit against singer John Joseph for ownership of the Cro-Mags name. As first reported by the New York Post, Flanagan has filed a Federal suit against Joseph based in Trademark and/or Copyright Infringement for ownership of the Cro-Mags name and associated work. Flanagan alleges that the name was improperly used first in 2002 and the improper usage has been happening sporadically since then. According to a USPTO search, Flanagan, along with guitarist Parris Mayhew, first applied to register the CRO-MAGS trademark in 2001, but those registrations are considered "dead" by the USPTO. However, Flanagan does have a few live registrations for the Cro-Mags mark, the earliest dating to 2009.

Joseph released a brief statement responding to the suit. He said: "LET ME STATE THESE 'FACTS' FOR THE RECORD: I have never in my life snitched on anyone to the Government for being AWOL, or the cops, putting someone in prison for a long period of time just because i hate the crew he is with. "Seekers of the Truth". I have never had an order of protection. I roll with "Street Justice". I have never robbed any band I was ever in, or taken one cent from any of its members. "Face the Facts" And I have never SUED anyone... ever. "We Gotta Know." I Live by my words. "The Evolution of a Cro-Magnon" - Also as lyricist for over 80% of the material on AOQ that entitles me to 50% of ALL publishing. I have never tried to recover a cent from that either - but to the knuckleheads drinking the Kool-Aid that I never wrote anything - go look on the back of the album. Off to Train. Keep that PMA. See you in Europe next month with the CRO-MAGS!"