Another violent episode was when Jerry was the driver for a robbery of another crook. Two men were brought in from Detroit, told the robbery would be easy, but it turned out anything but, so they ran from the place without any money, jumped in the car and stuck a gun to Jerry’s head, ordering him to drive to the airport in Lexington, Ky. By the time they reached Kentucky, Jerry had talked them out of killing him since he knew nothing about the arrangement and had just been hired to drive. When he returned home, he told the “arranger” what had happened, and the “arranger” called Detroit and had the men murdered. This was when Jerry understood the man’s serious connections with organized crime.
Jerry was associated with violence beyond most of our comprehension, especially when he was younger. One of the violent men he knew was Jackie Layman. Layman stayed with Jerry for a time after escaping from Brushy Mountain State Prison, the prison where James Earl Ray was incarcerated. Layman then was involved in a robbery where his two accomplices tried to kill him to gain his share of the money. On Christmas Eve of 1975, Layman learned that these men would be at the Red Lantern Tavern in Newport, Tennessee, so he arrived with a shotgun and began shooting. When the battle ended, two were dead , including Layman, another was dragged outside and run over him a few times with a car. The event was called the Red Tavern Massacre and a song was later written about the battle. After all these years, rumors abound about what actually happened. I have the words to the song and will post them at a later date.
Another violent episode was when Jerry was the driver for a robbery of another crook. Two men were brought in from Detroit, told the robbery would be easy, but it turned out anything but, so they ran from the place without any money, jumped in the car and stuck a gun to Jerry’s head, ordering him to drive to the airport in Lexington, Ky. By the time they reached Kentucky, Jerry had talked them out of killing him since he knew nothing about the arrangement and had just been hired to drive. When he returned home, he told the “arranger” what had happened, and the “arranger” called Detroit and had the men murdered. This was when Jerry understood the man’s serious connections with organized crime.
8 Comments
Justin Reece
3/6/2016 07:34:57 pm
I have the actual 45 record that was never supposed to be recorded. It is the song you are talking about.
Reply
Julia Kizzar
1/12/2019 09:55:36 am
Hello I am Jackie Laymon daughter I would love to know more about him and this song if you would share . Thank you
Reply
Chelsea
1/18/2017 04:41:09 pm
If im not mistaken my dad was shot in this and I would like to know what really happened... He was born in 1955 and I think he was either 19 or 20 when it happened but he will not tell me about it
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Austin
1/25/2017 09:08:52 am
do you know why he won't I've researched bout this few times could we talk bout this ???
Reply
Robin Ellison
12/24/2018 07:03:44 pm
What is your Dad's Name?
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Allan
1/21/2020 09:31:19 am
I was working the Baptist hospital the morning of the shoot out. One young man survived and left the hospital to go home only to be killed in a car wreck months later. I can't recall the name right now. At the hospital, every weekend there seemed to be a meeting of the Knife and Gun Club of Newport as we often received the wounded.
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Kim Randall
1/22/2019 08:17:49 am
I am Jackie Layman's other daughter. I too would like to hear the song.
Reply
Daniel
7/31/2019 07:25:38 pm
My friend was killed that night,and I'm trying to understand what happened, would someone help ,please?
Reply
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AuthorMy name is Richard Biggs and I'm a writer. My latest book is about Jerry Allen LeQuire, a convicted drug kingpin, who rejected two offers from the CIA to work for them, and has been in a federal prison for over 30 years. Archives
June 2018
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