Huge update in Liam Payne manslaughter case as charges against former friend are dropped
Three people have been cleared of charges relating to the death of former One Direction member Liam Payne.
Payne died on 16 October last year after falling from a balcony in the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with an inquest confirming that he died of 'polytrauma' which means multiple injuries to the body and organs.
Five people had been charged in relation to the 31-year-old singer's death, four hotel workers including a waiter, employee, chief receptionist and hotel manager along with Payne's friend Roger Nores.
The hotel workers were charged over their suspected role in supplying cocaine to Payne, the receptionist was alleged to have asked people to 'drag' Payne to his hotel room which he later fell from and the manager was charged with manslaughter.
Advert
Payne's friend Nores had been charged with manslaughter on the grounds of 'failing to fulfil his duties of care, assistance and help'.
However, according to Rolling Stone, charges of manslaughter have been dropped against three men - Payne's friend Roger Nores and two members of staff at the hotel.
Judges rules that Nores didn't have a part in Payne 'obtaining and consuming alcohol', and decided that there was nothing he could have done to prevent the singer's death in his final hours.
The ruling says: "It is possible that, if he had stayed in his company at all times, [Payne] would not have obtained the drugs and alcohol in the quantities necessary for the state of intoxication he exhibited at the time of his death.
"But it cannot be ruled out that, even if he had taken those extreme precautions... that [Payne] would have managed to obtain the substances anyway, as is common among addicts, even when they are under the loving care of their family."
Judges also ruled that there was not enough proof that chief receptionist Gilda Martin and manager Esteban Grassi engaged in 'thoughtless, reckless, or merely negligent behaviour'.
Waiter Braian Nahuel Paiz and employee Ezequiel David Pereyra will stay behind bars ahead of their trial over claims that they supplied Payne with drugs.
Speaking to Rolling Stone following the update in the case, Nores said: "Glad this is finally over. I’m happy I’m now going to be able to travel to the UK and say goodbye to my friend.”
Roger Nores last month launched a lawsuit against Liam Payne's father Geoff for £8.1 million, accusing him of providing 'false, contained material omissions, and many parts were not based on personal knowledge'.
The lawsuit states that Nores was 'never the caretaker of Liam' and claims that statements made by Geoff Payne had an 'adverse impact' on his reputation.
Speaking about the suit he said: "Liam, who I miss every day, was my dear friend and an independent, brilliant, respectful free man who did whatever he wanted whenever he wanted."
Geoff Payne denied 'in the strongest possible terms' defaming anyone.
Topics: Liam Payne, Celebrity, Crime
Joe Harker