AC/DC Drummer Phil Rudd Arrested for Possession of Drugs and Attempting to Have Someone Killed
AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has been arrested and appeared in a New Zealand court on charges of drug possession, attempting to procure a murder, and threatening to kill. The 60-year old Australia-born band member was arrested during a raid on his Tauranga home on the North Island Thursday morning earlier this week.
Court documents state that Rudd had attempted to hire one person to kill two others – all still unidentified – between Sept. 25 and 26. Rudd has also been charged of threatening to kill a complainant on Sept. 26.
While he appeared on court, he said nothing as well as refusing to talk to media as he left the court. He is subject to bail until his next hearing on Nov. 27 where bail conditions state that he may not talk with anyone involved in the alleged murder plot.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The severity of his charges could place Rudd up to 10 years in jail, under New Zealand law.
The band was prepping to release their new album, Rock or Bust, on Dec. 2 with an album launch on Nov. 23. The album is the band's first in six years after Black Ice. In recent promotion material for the album, Rudd was absent in all of them claiming it was because of "family emergencies" as revealed by lead singer Brian Johnson.
Rock or Bust will be the first band album not to feature one of the founding brothers, Malcolm Young, after he was diagnosed with dementia.
Rudd's arrest and upcoming hearing later this month might have an effect on the band's upcoming 2015 world tour.
