Murder-For-Hire Charge Dropped Against AC/DC Drummer

NPR | By Eyder Peralta

Published November 6, 2014 at 6:23 AM CST

Phil Rudd, the drummer for rock band AC/DC, leaves a court house in Tauranga, New Zealand, on Thursday.

Updated: 12:22 a.m. ET Friday:

Because of a lack of evidence, prosecutors in New Zealand have dropped a murder-for-hire charge against AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd. The Associated Press reports the 60-year-old Rudd had been charged Thursday with trying to arrange two killings. He's still facing charges of threatening to kill, possession of methamphetamine and possession of marijuana.

Original Post:

Authorities in New Zealand have charged Phil Rudd, the drummer for the legendary hard rock band AC/DC, with trying to have two men killed.

CNN reports:

"The 60-year-old appeared in a New Zealand court Thursday afternoon facing a count of attempting to procure the murder of two men, said Bay of Plenty district's police spokesperson, Kim Perks.

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

"The names of the men he allegedly wanted killed and the name of the alleged potential hitman are suppressed, CNN affiliate TVNZ reported."

Rolling Stone reports the drug charges stem from a raid on Rudd's home. The magazine reports that AC/DC was about to embark on a world tour. It's unclear, Rolling Stone reports, how the arrest will affect the tour.