Five people charged in connection with death Liam PayneThe former One Direction singer died after falling from a Buenos Aires hotel balcony on October 16, according to an announcement from Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office.
Those charged include hotel manager Gilda Martin, receptionist Esteban Grassi and Payne’s friend Roger Nores, who all face manslaughter charges. In addition, hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra and waiter Braian Paiz were charged with supplying drugs. In Argentina’s legal system, prosecutors gather evidence for a judge to decide whether to proceed with a trial. Judge Laura Bruniard has moved the case to the next stage, a decision that could be appealed by defense lawyers. If the appeal fails, the case will go to trial.
Court documents identify the suspects only by their initials. Payne’s friend, known as “RLN,” was charged with manslaughter because he allegedly neglected his duty of care and abandoned Payne despite knowing he was harmed by substance abuse. Hotel manager “GAM” was also charged with manslaughter for failing to prevent Payne from being taken to his room in what was considered a dangerous situation. The chief receptionist, “ERG,” faces similar charges for ordering others to forcibly take Payne to his room instead of ensuring his safety.
“Payne had an altered consciousness and there was a balcony in the room,” the judge said. “The correct thing to do is to keep him in a safe place and with someone until the doctor arrives. The person in charge of the hotel that day was the manager GAM and the receptionist ERG.
Judge Bruniard stressed that while the men may not have intended Payne’s death, their actions or inactions posed a significant risk to Payne’s life. “It was imprudent for them to allow him to be taken to the room and take him there separately,” he concluded. “They created a risk that was not legally recognized and Payne’s death was the embodiment of that risk.”
According to the BBC, if convicted, manslaughter carries a prison sentence of one to five years, while drug supply offenses carry harsher penalties ranging from four to 15 years. The judge ordered Pereira and Pez, two men accused of supplying drugs, to remain in custody and appear in court within 24 hours.
Payne’s cause of death was multiple trauma and blood loss caused by falling from the third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel in Palermo. Toxicology reports showed the presence of alcohol, cocaine and prescription antidepressants in his system. The receptionist made two emergency calls before the fatal incident – the first to report that a guest had “destroyed the entire room” and the second to fear the guest’s life “could be in danger”. Despite these concerns, the receptionist only requested medical services, not police assistance.
Payne’s funeral was held in Amersham, England, last month. The event was attended by his former One Direction bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Ma Zayn Malik, with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy and ex-partner Cheryl Cole, they have a son.
