Liam Payne soared to global fame as a member of One Direction, one of the best-selling boy bands of all time. After the pop group’s 2016 hiatus, Payne parlayed his One Direction fame into a successful solo career, scoring hits with “Strip That Down” and the Rita Ora collab “For You.” Sadly, the Wolverhampton, England-born artist was battling demons even at the height of his fame. Struggling with substance abuse and mental illness, Payne was just 31 years old when he suffered a fatal fall from the third-floor balcony of an Argentina hotel last October.
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Subsequently, Argentinian law enforcement arrested five people in connection with the “Teardrops” singer’s untimely death. But on Wednesday (Feb. 19,) Payne’s friend, Rogelio “Roger” Nores, and two hotel workers saw themselves absolved of any legal responsibility in the matter.
Liam Payne’s Friend Did Not Play a Role in His Death, Court Rules
Autopsy results revealed that Liam Payne had a cocktail of illicit drugs in his system when he fell from the third-floor balcony at CasaSur Palermo Hotel on Oct. 16, 2024, including “pink c*caine.”
Argentinian prosecutors initially charged close friend Roger Nores and two hotel employees with manslaughter in connection with Payne’s lethal fall. Rolling Stone reported that a judge lowered those charges to wrongful death in late December
However, Argentina’s Court of Appeals has found that Payne’s friend, Argentinian businessman Roger Nores, did not play a role in the pop star “obtaining and consuming alcohol.”.
Even if Nores had stayed by Payne’s side 24/7, “it cannot be ruled out… 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,” reads the ruling, obtained by Rolling Stone.
Additionally, the judges did not uncover enough proof that two hotel workers exhibited “thoughtless, reckless, or merely negligent behavior” in their actions leading up to Payne’s death.
Nores told Rolling Stone that he is “glad this is finally over.”
“I’m happy I’m now going to be able to travel to the U.K. and say goodbye to my friend,” he added.
Alleged Drug Dealers Remain Behind Bars
The judges’ ruling clears three of the five people charged in connection with the death of Liam Payne. However, the two men accused of selling drugs to the pop star are still in jail awaiting trial, Rolling Stone reports.
Buenos Aires waiter Braian Paiz, along with hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra, faces manslaughter charges for allegedly providing c*caine to the former One Direction member.
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