Bon Jovi's Secret Letter To Judge That Saved Band Manager From 20 Ton Pot Bust
May 28 2018, Updated 10:17 a.m. ET
Bon Jovi gives the legal system a bad name!
Read the letter from Bon Jovi to the judge.
The rock star convinced a US judge not to jail his former band manager, busted for smuggling a massive 20 tons of marijuana, with a six-page hand-written plea for mercy.
The never-published letter was kept locked away for more than 20 years by the band's former tour manager, Rich Bozzett, who has included it in his new book charting the band's meteoric rise.
The biographer told RadarOnline.com the letter helped prevent Doc McGhee from being locked up in prison for the pot bust, which today would have a street value of more than $20 million.
On January 19, 1987 McGhee pleaded guilty to the charges in a North Carolina federal court for a crime that should have landed him 20 years or more in prison.
Bon Jovi - birth name John Bongiovi - wrote a letter to District Court Judge W. Earl Britt convincing him to let McGhee off without doing a single day in jail, according to Bozzett in his tell-all book Sex, Drugs and Bon Jovi.
Bon Jovi Releases 'The Circle'
"You see, your honor, Doc did in fact commit a crime, and I realize the severity of his case," Bon Jovi wrote.
"But a man with his knowledge and commitment to the music industry can do so much good as a public servant."
The 48-year-old singer, who was 24 at the time, pled his case for McGhee through a six page handwritten letter that paid particular attention to the importance of family.
McGhee helped to make Bon Jovi one of the biggest bands ever and managed them from 1984-1991.
"The media exposure and severity of this case has in fact drawn attention to our organization," Bon Jovi wrote.
"Many of my peers and all of my friends would sell their shirts for a chance to be managed by Doc."
Bon Jovi also brought up the concept of community service and volunteered to help McGhee in any way he could, including public service videos and educational films.
"I would like to offer my services in any way to assist in the production as well as promotion of any of these concepts," he said.
"If I can be of any assistance please feel free to contact me at any time."
According to Bozzett, the judge complied and put McGhee on multi-year probation with the court and had Bon Jovi make good on his word.
The band started the "Make a Difference Foundation," played at "The Moscow Peace Festival" and at Broughton High School in Raleigh, North Carolina.
McGhee made good by raising money for an anti-drug documentary on MTV.
VIDEO: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger -- 'No One Cares If You Smoke A Joint Or Not'
Bon Jovi went on to release 11 albums, have sold 120 million albums and have performed more than 2,600 concerts in over 50 countries.
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