THE COUNTERFEIT LEGEND A Memoir

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When a tall, charismatic fireman waltzed into Barbara's office, her first instinct was to run--instead, he swept her off her feet, pulling her into a lifetime of crime, addiction, and abuse. Thus, the Counterfeit Legend was born. Told from the perspective of his stepdaughter Vicki, The Counterfeit Legend details the personal and family life of notorious Los Angeles bank robber John Jennings. Jennings did whatever it took to satisfy his compulsive need for attention, notoriety, and fame. As stepfather to young children, Jennings was cruel and abusive. He hid his double life as an armed bank robber by masking himself as a community hero. In 1963, Jennings managed his son's Pony League baseball team, leading his players to the Pony League World Series. The life he built for himself crashed to a halt when he was arrested for the robberies of thirteen Los Angeles banks, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars. The effect it left on his family members was lasting and fatal. Even still, Jennings continued to reinvent himself with lies and deception, destroying all that lay in his path in his search for the good life.