John Wayne Bobbitt (born 1967) and Lorena Bobbitt (née Gallo; born May 15, 1969)[1][2] were an American former couple, married on June 18, 1989,[2][3] whose relationship received international press coverage in 1993 when Lorena severed John's penis with a knife while he was asleep in bed; the penis was successfully surgically reattached.
She then grabbed an eight-inch (20 cm) Ginsu carving knife on the kitchen counter, returned to their bedroom, pulled back the bed sheets, and cut off his penis.
John's penis was found after an exhaustive search, and after being washed with antiseptic and packed in saline ice, it was reattached in the hospital where he was treated.
"[13] This conversation with Detective Peter Weintz was tape-recorded, and the transcript was read later in the trial by Mary Grace O'Brien, the Prince William County Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney prosecuting Lorena.
Lorena stated that John sexually, physically, and emotionally abused her during their marriage, claiming that he had flaunted his infidelities and forced her to have an abortion.
[6] John denied the allegations of abuse; however, when he was cross-examined by Howard, his statements often conflicted with known facts, severely weakening the prosecution's case.
[6] Lorena testified that John had raped her and physically battered her on multiple occasions prior to the evening of the incident, that they lacked financial stability, and that he stole her earnings and spent the proceeds.
"[15] The defense strategy emphasized Lorena's action as being a mix of self-defense and temporary insanity constituting an "irresistible impulse" due to the history and pattern of abuse and rape.
"[18] After seven hours of deliberation, the jury found Lorena not guilty by reason of insanity caused by an irresistible impulse to sexually wound John.
[citation needed] In September 1994, he appeared in the adult film John Wayne Bobbitt Uncut in another attempt to make money.
[22] In 1994, John was charged with striking Kristina Elliott, a 21-year-old former exotic dancer he met while in Las Vegas, Nevada on a publicity tour.
"[23] On August 10, 1998,[24] John appeared on the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE)'s Monday Night Raw is War television program, where he was featured with Val Venis.
In 2007, she was working at a beauty salon in Washington, D.C.,[33] and, the same year, founded Lorena's Red Wagon organization, which helps prevent domestic violence through family-oriented activities.
Within days of the incident, some anti-domestic violence advocates and some feminist groups rallied around Lorena, citing the continuous abuse she suffered at the hands of John that led her to attack him, albeit in an unusual and violent manner.
[38] Media attention surrounding the case resulted in national debate and also sparked a flurry of jokes, limericks, T-shirt slogans, and advertising gimmicks, as well as Howard Stern having John as a guest on his 1993 New Year's Eve special and fundraising $250,000 to defray the outstanding costs of his surgery.
[42] After the 1991 Gulf War, the United States Air Force decided to remove the tail gun turrets from all B-52 strategic bombers.
The sculpture reimagines Bobbitt as the warrior goddess Kali, mounted on a ziggurat plinth, adorned with knives, and grasping a severed penis.
The incident has been referenced in movies and television shows, such as David Fincher's 1999 adaptation of Fight Club and the Coen brothers' 2004 remake of The Ladykillers.
John is given a brief mention during the Fall Out Boy cover of "We Didn't Start the Fire" in 2023, as part of the "updated" list of events used in the lyrics.