Paul McCartney

After Michael Jackson acquired ATV in 1985, which held many publishing rights to Lennon–McCartney songs, McCartney expressed longstanding dissatisfaction over control of the catalogue. In 2017, he brought a pre-emptive action in the United States against Sony/ATV to secure the exercise of his rights to terminate grants and recover copyrights.

State of the evidence

Settlement

Legal status — source text

2017 federal action settled confidentially and dismissed without prejudice

Attribution

Protagonist is the complainant

The divorce between McCartney and Heather Mills led to highly publicised litigation, with vastly differing financial claims and mutual personal allegations, including claims by Mills concerning McCartney's alcohol and drug use.

State of the evidence

Allegations

Attribution

Directly implicated

McCartney proceeded with a Tel Aviv concert despite requests from Palestinian groups and cultural boycott activists, while an Islamist activist had also threatened him. The visit was interpreted politically by various sides.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

McCartney and Linda McCartney were arrested while holidaying in Barbados following the discovery of marijuana. The incident occurred exactly four years after his arrest in Japan.

Attribution

Personally implicated

On arriving in Tokyo for a Wings tour, Japanese customs officers found a substantial quantity of cannabis in McCartney's luggage. He was arrested, detained for approximately ten days and the tour was cancelled.

Attribution

Personally implicated

On 31 December 1970, McCartney sued John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Apple Corps to secure the legal dissolution of the Beatles partnership and place income under control during the winding-up process, particularly against the background of disagreement over Allen Klein's management.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Protagonist is the complainant

Following the discovery of cannabis plants on his High Park Farm property near Campbeltown, McCartney was prosecuted for cultivating cannabis and on possession charges.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Personally implicated

Following Bloody Sunday, McCartney wrote and released Give Ireland Back to the Irish with Wings, taking a position on the British presence in Northern Ireland. The song was immediately banned from broadcast by the BBC and other broadcasters.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

During Wings' European tour, Swedish police discovered cannabis and McCartney, Linda McCartney and drummer Denny Seiwell were detained. Authorities had also intercepted a package of cannabis sent from England.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated