AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd charged with attempting to procure a murder

[timster]

AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has been charged in New Zealand with attempting to procure a murder, threatening to kill and drugs charges.

It is understood the 60-year-old was the subject of a raid on the North Island on Thursday morning.

 

Police say a man has been arrested and will appear in Tauranga District Court in the afternoon.

 

He had been charged with attempting to procure a murder, threatening to kill and possession of methamphetamine and cannabis, a spokeswoman said.

 

Australian-born Rudd has lived in Tauranga for a number of years.

 

AC/DC have announced they will launch their new album Rock or Bust from a rural New South Wales town called The Rock on 23 November.

Rock or Bust is the band?s first album of original material since Black Ice was released six years ago. The record follows the departure of AC/DC?s founding guitarist Malcolm Young after his family announced he had developed dementia.

 

Phil Rudd joined AC/DC in 1975. He was dropped in 1983 and eventually rejoined in 1994.

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/nov/06/acdc-drummer-phil-rudd-charged-with-attempting-to-procure-a

[Shiranui]

Procure a murder? Did he go on a find-a-hitman website or something?

[FiB3R]

Procure a murder? Did he go on a find-a-hitman website or something?

Possibly.

[timster]

I guess you could say that ... dirty deeds aren't done dirt cheap

[Haggis Veteran]

he must have actually tried to pay someone to do it as just going on a hitman site is not illegal

[Lamp0]

Agent47 dot com

[Sszecret Veteran]

Procure a murder? As in, a group of crows? 

[timster]

the charge was dropped

 

AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd's charge of attempting to procure murder has been withdrawn.

 

Rudd, 60, appeared in the Tauranga District Court yesterday, charged with attempting to procure the murder of two men.

 

He was also charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of cannabis and threatening to kill.

 

Rudd's lawyer, Paul Mabey QC, said this afternoon the Crown solicitor withdrew the attempting to procure murder charge after a meeting between Mabey and police.

 

"The decision to charge Mr Rudd was made by the New Zealand Police without consultation with the Tauranga Crown solicitor," he said.

 

The Crown solicitor said there was insufficient evidence to justify the charge and has withdrawn the charge, Mabey said.

 

The Crown solicitor's office confirmed the charge had been withdrawn.

 

"The charge alleging an attempt to procure murder should never have been laid," Mabey said.

 

"The Crown solicitor's opinion was not sought."

 

Mabey said Rudd would defend the threatening to kill charge. He described the drugs possession charges as "minor".

 

"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."

 

Rudd was released on bail after yesterday's appearance.

 

According to the charges laid and now withdrawn by police, Rudd had tried to get two men killed - their names and that of the intended hitman were all suppressed by the judge.

Police were contacted for a response, and said a statement would be issued soon.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/10716815/AC-DC-drummer-Phil-Rudd-Procuring-murder-charge-dropped

[Hum]

Money talks. ;)