Lawsuit Jury Clears Kinks Star

A Glendale Superior Court jury has decided there was insufficient evidence to support a $400,000 claim against British rock star Ray Davies stemming from an alleged incident at a 1979 concert by Davies’ band, The Kinks, at the Universal Amphitheatre.

Dan Rothschild, 34, of West Los Angeles, a security guard at the concert, claimed the rock star injured him by grabbing him by the hair and dragging him to the ground in what Rothschild said was a ploy to excite the crowd.

Rothschild’s attorney, Ira Sherman of Northridge, conceded that the injuries, consisting of bruises to Rothschild’s back, were minor. He said the suit was filed principally for what he asserted was Davies’ negligence concerning the safety of others by instigating a possibly riotous situation.

Appeal Planned

Sherman said he plans to appeal the case.

“We have not had our day in court,” he said.

Davies’ attorney, John Gaims of Century City, denied Davies assaulted Rothschild and called the other alleged incidents irrelevant.

“It would have been wholly inappropriate to try the entire issue of a rock performer’s responsibility to the audience,” Gaims said.

Presiding Judge Joseph R. Kalin restricted the evidence and witnesses presented during the 3 1/2-day trial to the question of whether there were personal injuries to Rothschild, and did not allow discussion of broader issues.

Gaims said Davies, 41, who was not required to appear during the proceedings, is in London making a movie. Davies and The Kinks are scheduled to appear on Aug. 24 at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre.