RAY CHARLES' STUFF - NEVER STOLEN

The case against Ray Charles' former audio engineer, in which Terry Howard was accused of pinching master tapes, has been thrown out by a judge in Los Angeles:

But Superior Court Judge Samuel Mayerson dismissed the charges after two days of preliminary hearings, ruling there to be insufficient evidence for a trial.

"I do not find that he, at any time, intended to permanently deprive the victims of this property, and I dismiss this case," Mayerson said in court.

Howard's lawyer told reporters that Joe Adams, the man charged with representing Ray Charles' legacy at "Ray Charles Enterprises" made no attempt to request the return of the masters - believed to be some eight million dollars' worth - and just reported the supposed theft to the police.

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