Ray Davies shooting charges dropped

Prosecutors have dropped charges against a man accused of shooting Ray Davies, the lead singer of The Kinks.

Davies was shot during a robbery in New Orleans' French Quarter but the case was dropped because Davies failed to appear in court for a second time.

Davies, who was shot in the leg on January 4, 2004, while chasing a man who had just taken a friend's wallet, said prosecutors notified him only a few days ago that the trial was scheduled for Thursday.

He just did not have time to get to New Orleans from London, he told The Times-Picayune newspaper.

"I am very disappointed with the way this case has been handled," Davies said. "I intend to pursue it further."

It was the second time Orleans Parish District Attorney Eddie Jordan's office had dismissed armed robbery and aggravated battery charges against Jerome Barra, 28, because Davies was not in court.

The first time came in 2005, but in that instance prosecutors reserved the right to resume prosecution. This time, they closed the case.

Jordan's spokesman Dalton Savwoir would only say that Davies' absence made it impossible to continue.

Court records show that prosecutors, the defence and Judge Calvin Johnson agreed on the trial date May 17.

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