Shake, Rattle and Rape?

Posted Mar 28th 2008 3:55PM by TMZ Staff

TMZ has learned that Poison drummer Rikki Rockett had to bail on a gig tomorrow night at his local coffee shop because of the Mississippi warrant that's out for his arrest on sexual assault charges. Don't ya hate when that happens?!

He and his fiancee Melanie Martel, a singer, were scheduled to play at Rattlesnake Slim's, an intimate coffeehouse/music venue in Newhall, Calif., not far from where Rikki and Melanie live. But after the story about his warrant broke last night, Rikki called Slim's today and told them they wouldn't be able to make it "due to what's going on" and the crush of media that would follow.

When asked about his legal woes, we're told, Rikki said he couldn't talk about it "because of his lawyers."


Also, this below.

Woman Claims Rockett Raped Her At Miss. Casino
Posted Mar 28th 2008 3:40PM by TMZ Staff

TMZ has learned that the arrest warrant issued for Poison drummer Rikki Rockett stems from an incident that occurred on September 23, 2007 at a casino in Mississippi. According to cops Rockett was staying -- not playing, music that is -- at the Silver Star Hotel & Casino when he allegedly raped another female guest in his hotel room.

We're told the woman did not report the alleged assault until several days later, when she came in to the Neshoba County Sheriffs department and filed a report. After determining there was probable cause for Rockett, real name Richard Ream, to be arrested, a warrant was issued. That warrant, we're told, is still active and he's a wanted man. Police will not give out any additional details about the alleged sexual assault.

LAPD busted the rocker at LAX on Monday night on the warrant, but let him go after Mississippi law enforcement decided not to extradite him, pending official charges from the Neshoba County D.A.

A rep for Rockett could not be reached for comment

The following is posted at Daily News.Com HERE.

The drummer for 80s glam band Poison was arrested on a rape warrant issued out of Mississippi as he arrived at LAX after getting off a flight from New Zealand, police said.

Rikki Rockett, 46, was arrested Monday at the airport and booked into the Los Angeles County Jail, according to Los Angeles police and the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department's Inmate Information Web site. He was held on a strong-arm rape warrant stemming from Neshoba County, Missisippi, and appears to have been released from L.A. County custody, the Sheriff's Web site shows. His status today could not be confirmed.

Details about the warrant were not immediately available. Messages left with state police in Mississippi went unanswered.

According to the online Web site Wikipedia, Rockett was born Richard Allan Ream in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. He has worked as a hairdresser, lifeguard, dishwasher, Emergency Medical Technician and a suit salesman. He rose to prominence in the 1980s when he co-founded the band Poison with vocalist Bret Michaels.

In late 1993, Rockett discovered that the then guitarist Richie Kotzen of Poison was having a relationship with Rockett's fiancee at the time, Deanna Eve. Kotzen was fired due to this incident.

For more news and observations about crime in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, check out Mean Streets, the Daily News crime blog found HERE.

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