A Bermuda snapshot of musical legend John Lennon is taking centre stage in a US federal lawsuit.

According to an AP news article, former aide John Seaman claimed a photograph of Lennon and his son overlooking a Bermuda beach was improperly included in a recently released compact disc box set. The name or location of the beach was not disclosed and several local music outlets do not have the expensive item in stock.

Seaman claims he shot the picture and described its use by Capitol Records' as an "egregious'' copyright infringement.

Capitol then sued Seaman to deny infringement.

Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, has also sued Seaman and claims he stole priceless personal items after Lennon was killed in 1980.

Her lawsuit, which is seeking unspecified damages, claims Seaman routinely took shopping bags full of documents and personal items from the Lennons.

The items included unreleased recordings, paintings, love letters, a novella by John Lennon entitled "Skywriting by Word of Mouth'', and Lennon's journals from 1975 to 1980.

Seaman pleaded guilty in 1983 to stealing four journals and was sentenced to five years probation.

And he promised to return all of the items he wrongfully removed.

However, although he returned many family pictures, journals, and private letters, Ono contends Seaman is still displaying hundreds of other family photographs.