JOHN LENNON - ONO DENIES SUING LENNON

LATEST: Late BEATLE JOHN LENNON's widow YOKO ONO has slammed "hurtful" reports claiming she is suing a singer/songwriter for naming her band LENNON. Ono was reported to have filed court papers accusing rocker Lennon Murphy of fraudulently registering Lennon as a trademark and for the "tarnishment" and exploitation of her late husband's name. But the 74-year-old insists she has not taken legal action against Murphy - she simply tried to stop her from getting the exclusive rights to use the name Lennon for performance purposes by notifying the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Ono says, "I am really hurt if people thought that I told a young artist to not use her own name in her performances and had sought to sue her. I did no such thing. I hope this allegation will be cleared." John Lennon was shot dead in New York City in December 1980.