MUMBAI: A court in Argentina has dismissed charges of criminal negligence against three of the five individuals indicted in connection with the tragic death of former One Direction singer Liam Payne, who fell from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires last October.
In a ruling obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday, the Argentine federal appeals court cleared Rogelio Nores, an Argentine-American businessman who had accompanied Payne on his trip, along with Gilda Martin, manager of the Casa Sur Palermo Hotel, and Esteban Grassi, the hotel’s main receptionist.
The court determined that prosecutors failed to prove any negligent or reckless behavior by the three defendants that directly contributed to Payne’s fatal fall. A toxicology report revealed the 31-year-old singer had alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his system at the time of his death.
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Nores was accused of failing in his duty of care for leaving Payne alone while intoxicated, but the court agreed with defense attorneys who argued he had no legal or moral obligation to supervise Payne and wasn’t present at the hotel during the incident.
The hotel staff had helped Payne to his room after noticing his severe intoxication but were accused of negligence for not keeping him away from the balcony. The court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to claim their actions were unlawful or reckless.
However, the court upheld charges against Ezequiel David Pereyra, a former hotel employee, and Braian Paiz, a waiter who served Payne at a Buenos Aires restaurant, ordering them to remain in custody. The two face allegations of supplying narcotics to Payne in the hours leading up to his death — a charge that carries a prison sentence of four to 15 years.
Liam Payne’s untimely passing sent shockwaves through the global music community, with millions of One Direction fans mourning the loss of the beloved singer.
