The Case of the Purloined Stetson

Bono wants his stuff back.

He's probably got closets filled to overflowing at home, but he wants the old things back. Not a lot of things. A hat. Trousers. A Christmas decoration. Earrings. He wants it all returned.

Lola Cashman has his stuff and she does not want to give it back. In fact, she's been trying to auction it off, but auction houses don't like dealing with hot merchandise. Until provenance and possession is settled, Ms. Cashman is holding on to the items, ready to sell, while Bono refuses to give up his claim.

He took the former band stylist to court to get his stuff back as soon as he learned that his hat was on the block. Ms. Cashman, who was the band's stylist on their Joshua Tree tour, insists that the items were gifts and she can do what she pleases with them. Bono says she nicked the goods and they have some significance to him. The hat in particular he wants back, as that became a sort of iconic emblem, a big part of his overall 'look' and image.

Last July, the Circuit Court heard the case and told Ms. Cashman to give it back within seven days. Her response was to file an appeal, clinging to her claim that everything she had was a gift from the band.

It's a case of 'he said, she said' and how can a judge make a determination in this instance? One could argue that Bono is in a flutter because the stylist put out a book that exposed the behind-the-scenes world of the Joshua Tree tour, and perhaps he is upset over some revealing bits or an embarrassing incident. One could also argue that Ms. Cashman took advantage of her position of trust and used it to make some money for herself. It all comes down to who the judge believes.

What is perhaps most important to note here is that Bono arrived in court in a sedate black suit with dark tie. No Product Red (patent pending) items on his august person, not a speck of the trademark red color. He was, however, wearing rose colored glasses, which he promptly removed when in the courtroom. There's an important message there, surely, another iconic image of Bono the businessman, defending the integrity of his product.