The Incident in Marin County
For many, Grace Slick’s voice is linked to the Summer of Love, but in 1994, the former Jefferson Airplane singer made headlines for a very different reason. On March 5, officers responded to her Marin County home after receiving a call from a man who claimed a “drunken woman was firing a shotgun in the house.” The caller, 58-year-old Ira Lee, reportedly greeted police by shouting, “Kill me!” and had to be restrained by officers.
Once law enforcement arrived, they faced Slick herself. Police said she pointed a shotgun at them and ordered them off her property. The brief standoff ended when Officer Bob Rossi managed to wrestle the weapon away after distracting her. Slick was arrested and charged with felony assault and felony brandishing a weapon at a police officer.
Slick Reflects on the Arrest
Years later, Slick recalled the episode with her characteristic blunt humor. Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle, she admitted, “Of course” when asked if she was drunk at the time. She explained, “They said, ‘Put the shotgun down, Grace.’ I told them, ‘Not until I know what’s going on.’ So, one of them did a body roll and knocked me down. It was a good move.”…