Artist News Legal

AC/DC’s Phil Rudd has murder procurement charge dropped

By | Published on Friday 7 November 2014

Phil Rudd

The New Zealand authorities have dropped the 24 hour old charge against AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd of attempting to ‘procure murder’ (ie hire a hitman) because of a lack of evidence.

As previously reported, Rudd was arrested and charged earlier this week in the New Zealand city of Tauranga, following a raid on his home. Whilst the charge of attempting to hire a man to kill two people is now withdrawn, he will still face lesser charges of threatening to kill and possessing cannabis and methamphetamine, and is set to reappear in court on 27 Nov.

Rudd’s lawyer, Paul Mabey, has stated (via the New Zealand Herald) that “the charge alleging an attempt to procure murder should never have been laid”, adding that police had not sought the opinion of the Crown Solicitors prior to laying the charge.

Says Mabey: “Mr Rudd has suffered unnecessary and extremely damaging publicity as a result of widespread and sensational reporting of a very serious allegation, which on any basis was never justified”.

And: “The damage to Mr Rudd is incalculable. Questions arise as to the degree of care taken by those responsible for arresting and charging him with attempting to procure murder. Mr Rudd is considering any possible remedies he may have”.

Somewhat surprisingly perhaps, the man identified in court documents as the ‘intended hitman’ has been speaking to the press too, claiming he is a “family man, not a hitman”, and that the charges against Rudd are “hot air”.

Yesterday, AC/DC released a short Facebook statement on the Rudd situation. It read: “We’ve only become aware of Phil’s arrest as the news was breaking. We have no further comment. Phil’s absence will not affect the release of our new album ‘Rock Or Bust’ and upcoming tour next year”.

Rudd, as previously noted, was missing from a new promo photograph of the band released last month.



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