07.11 AC/DC Rock Star Faces Drugs Possession Charges, 'Murder-For-Hire' Accusations Dropped

MOSCOW, November 7 (RIA Novosti) - The charges of attempting to procure a murder have been withdrawn from AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd due to lack of evidence; however, the rock star is still facing charges of possessing drugs and threatening to kill.

"This afternoon, the man who was named in court documents as the "intended hitman" told the Herald he believed the matter had blown out of proportion. He described himself as a "family man" - not a hitman - and said it was "good" the charges were dropped," the New Zealand Herald reported.

The rock star was arrested on November 6, during a police raid on his home in Tauranga, the city in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. Phil Rudd was charged with "attempting to hire one person to kill two others, and of threatening to kill another," the media source notes, adding that the drummer was also accused of methamphetamine and cannabis possession.

Phil Rudd's lawyer, Paul Mabey, QC, noted that the decision to arrest the rock star was made by the New Zealand police officers "without consultation with Tauranga Crown Solicitor."

Mr. Mabey said, as cited by the New Zealand Herald: "I was advised by the [ Tauranga] Crown Solicitor Hollister-Jones that he had reviewed the police file and the available evidence to support the charge of attempting to procure murder. He had formed the view that there was insufficient evidence to justify that charge. He has now withdrawn the charge."

Mr. Mabey emphasized that his client had suffered "unnecessary and extremely damaging publicity" due to a sensational reporting of "a very serious allegation," which turned out to be groundless. The lawyer qualified the charges of methamphetamine and cannabis possession as "minor," according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Bill Hodge, a law professor at the University of Auckland, deems the New Zealand Police has apparently overstretched.

"Usually you'd expect police to lay a basic charge, a holding charge. Then, maybe when they've got more witnesses and evidence, they could go for a more complicated charge. I don't understand the rush," he said, as cited by the Independent.

AC/DC, an iconic Australian hard rock band, is preparing for a 2015 world tour. The band has asserted to the public that the arrest of the drummer would change the plans of the new AC/DC album's release in December.

Phil Rudd has been freed on bail and will reappear in court on November 27.