Why Elvis Had Assault and Battery Charges ‘Piling Up’ Against Him

After a career revival, Elvis Presley grew worried that someone would assault him or make an attempt on his life. Overzealous fans and outright threats concerned the musician and his employees. As a result, his bodyguards were quick to attack anyone they perceived as a threat. Sometimes, though, they acted a bit too aggressively. Soon, his bodyguards’ commitment landed Elvis in legal trouble.

Elvis Presley’s bodyguards brought him assault charges

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Elvis’ career bounced back after a series of disappointments. With the renewed interest in him came growing concerns about his safety. Elvis worried someone would try to harm him and told his bodyguards to do whatever it took to keep him safe. 

“He felt that the assassins gloated over their ‘accomplishments,’ and told his bodyguards that if any attempt were made on his life, they should get the killer — even before the police,” Priscilla Presley wrote in her book Elvis and Me. “He didn’t want anyone bragging to the media that they’d killed Elvis Presley.”

His bodyguards were eager to follow this order — a bit too eager.

“Sonny and Red lived in so much tension these days that they were constantly frenzied,” Priscilla wrote. “Suspicious in crowds of overzealous fans, they were quick to respond to any sign of danger. Compared to Sonny’s diplomacy, Red’s reputation was to act first and ask questions later. Eventually, numerous assault-and-battery charges started piling up against Elvis.”

Though Elvis had instructed his bodyguards to act quickly, he was not happy with the legal trouble they’d brought him.

“When Vernon warned him about Sonny and Red’s aggressiveness, Elvis said, ‘Goddamn, Red. I hired you to keep the sons of b*****s away from me, not get me in any legal binds. Somehow you’re going to have to control that red-headed temper of yours.'”

Elvis Presley worried someone would try to assault him

Elvis’ concerns about his safety were not unfounded. Before one concert, his bodyguards got word that a woman in the audience wanted to shoot the musician.

“Offstage, he could be guarded by Sonny and Red. Onstage, he was a walking target,” Priscilla wrote. “One night that summer Joe and Sonny were tipped off that a woman in the audience was carrying a gun and had threatened to kill Elvis.”

Despite the threat, Elvis insisted on going forward with the concert. Priscilla explained that she sat through the show in agony, terrified something would happen to her husband. 

According to Priscilla Presley, Elvis wasn’t very good at fighting

Elvis needed careful protection from his bodyguards because, according to Priscilla, he wasn’t all that good at fighting. On one occasion, he broke up a fight between two strangers at a service station, which surprised everyone around him.

“Long after the service station fracas, we joked about it, saying, ‘Man, the Lord had to be on E’s side that day. That guy doesn’t know how lucky he was.'”

Elvis spoke about the encounter as though he’d bravely fought off an army of attackers.

“When we got home, the way Elvis told it you’d think he’d just wiped out half a battalion,” Priscilla wrote. “We all supported his fantasy.”