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Five people have been charged in connection to the death of One Direction star Liam Payne. The singer died in October after falling to his death on a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Last month, Argentine prosecutors revealed that the singer had “alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his system before his death.”
Who is being charged?
According to multiple sources, the five people who are being charged in connection to Payne's death are two employees of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires where he was staying at the time. The hotel manager, Gilda Martin, and receptionist Esteban Grassi are being charged with manslaughter.
Rogelio “Roger” Nores, a friend of the late singer, is also being charged with manslaughter, according to the Argentina prosecutor's office. If convicted, Martin, Grassi, and Nores' they could be facing up to five years in prison.
Hotel employee, Ezequiel Pereyra, and Braian Paiz, a waiter at a local restaurant, have been charged with supplying drugs to Payne. Pereyra and Paiz are currently in custody according to a press release and if convicted face up to 15 years in prison.
What has the judge said?
According to hotel security footage, Payne is last seen heading up to his room as three people carried him. Shortly after arriving to his room he fell to his death from the hotel balcony.
“On October 16, moments before 5 p.m., Payne was unable to care for himself,” Judge Laura Bruniard said, adding, “The way he was being handled shows a state of vulnerability.”
The judge added that the hotel employees who were helping him to his room “did not act maliciously” and were, in, fact “creating a legally disapproved risk to his life.”
“I maintain that [Payne] tried to leave from the balcony of the place where he was left because the forensic experts noted that he did not lose his balance,” Bruniard wrote, citing various investigation reports per the outlet. “This is how the fall occurred.”
Liam Payne: Defendants who have spoken out
Several of the defendants have spoken out following their charges in Payne's death. Nores, previously recounted several incidents in which Payne's substance abuse had put him “close to death” several times.
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“I was a friend who loved him very much, who helped him selflessly in everything I could, who spent my own money to help him, and even then it was not enough,” Nores told Rolling Stone. “I do not consider that I deserve the accusation that is being leveled at me.”
He also said in a statement, “I never abandoned Liam, I went to his hotel three times that day and left 40 minutes before this happened. There were over 15 people at the hotel lobby chatting and joking with him when I left. I could have never imagined something like this would happen.”
Paiz admits to partying with the One Direction star two nights in a row but he denies selling Payne any drugs.
“They say I’m the dealer, that I carried drugs, that I sold them,” he told TMZ. “And the truth is that no, no I didn’t sell them.”
What have Liam Payne's bandmates said?
Following his death, Payne's former bandmates which consisted of Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomilson paid tribute to their late friend.
“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing,” the joint statement shared on their Instagram began.
“In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say,” their message continues. “But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly. The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever.”
“For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us,” the band concluded. “We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam.”
