THE KINKS - DAVIES FUMES AFTER CHARGES AGAINST SHOOTER ARE DROPPED

Charges against a man accused of shooting THE KINKS rocker RAY DAVIES have been dropped, after he failed to appear in court for the second time. Davies, 63, was shot in the leg while chasing a man who had stolen his friend's wallet in New Orleans, Louisiana, in January 2004. The case against Jerome Barra, 28, was dismissed - but the singer claims he was given just a few days warning the trial would begin on Thursday (26Jul07) and didn't have the time to travel to the city. The rocker says, "I am very disappointed with the way this case has been handled. I intend to pursue it further." Court records, however, show prosecutors, the defence and the judge agreed on the trial date in May (07). The trial was previously dismissed in 2005 because of Davies' failure to turn up in court. Prosecutors then pledged to resume prosecution, but have now closed the case.