AC/DC Drummer Phil Rudd Pleads Guilty To Drug Possession, Threatening To Kill


Former AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd pleaded guilty Monday in a New Zealand court to two charges of drug possession and one charge of threatening to kill. The rocker admitted to wanting a former employee “taken out.”

Police dropped a second threatening to kill charge against the famed rocker.

As Billboard reports, Phil Rudd initially pleaded not guilty in December when police alleged the AC/DC drummer had threatened to kill a former employee who had been in his employ for three years.

In Tauranga District Court on Monday, details emerged of how Rudd wanted his former employee “taken care of.” According to the New Zealand Herald, the rocker’s anger at his victim stemmed from the launch of his solo album not “going well.” When the album launch did not go as expected, Rudd fired various employees, but he was incredibly angry with one former employee in particular. In September, Rudd called an associate and said he wanted his would-be victim “taken out” because “they were a bunch of f*ckers and c**ts.” To carry out the dirty deed, Rudd offered would-be hitman $200,000, a motorbike, or one of his houses or cars.

The AC/DC drummer apparently grew impatient and threatened the victim directly, telling him, “I’m going to come over and kill you. I’m going to come over and kill you, you f*** c***.”

The rocker also pleaded guilty today to drug possession relating to the cannabis and methamphetamine found when police raided his home in November during their investigation of the murder-for-hire plot.

As the Inquisitr previously reported, the drug possession and threatening to kill charges are not the only legal troubles the former drummer for AC/DC faces. A month after the arrest relating to these charges, Rudd appeared in court again for breaching the terms of his bail after he engaged in an angry confrontation with a potential witness in his upcoming trial.

Phil Rudd played drums on AC/DC’s latest album, Rock or Bust. However, his arrest led to his absence on the band’s current Rock or Bust World Tour. The band announced shortly after Rudd’s arrest that he would not join them on what is thought to be AC/DC’s last tour, as the former drummer needs to “sort himself out” before playing with the band.

It is unclear why the former AC/DC drummer changed his plea.

Phil Rudd will appear for sentencing on June 26, at which time his lawyer, Craig Tuck, will contest his client’s conviction.

[Image by Joel Ford/Getty Images]

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