Liam Payne’s friend speaks out after manslaughter charge against him is dropped
Topics: Liam Payne, Music, Celebrity, World News, Drugs
Poppy Bilderbeck
Featured Image Credit: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images
Topics: Liam Payne, Music, Celebrity, World News, Drugs
Judges have ruled to drop a charge of manslaughter against Rogelio Nores after he was indicted in connection to Liam Payne's death.
On October 16, 2024, One Direction star Liam Payne passed away at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
On December 27, Judge Laura Bruniard indicted five men including Rogelio Nores and a hearing has since taken place at Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Court with three appeal court judges ruling to drop the charge against Nores.
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Businessman and Payne's friend Nores, hotel manager Gilda Martin, hotel receptionist Esteban Grassi were among five individuals who were handed charges by Judge Bruniard - three on charges of manslaughter and two on drugs charges.
Nores was accused of 'failing to fulfil his duties of care, assistance and help' towards the singer and having 'abandoned him to his luck knowing that he was incapable of fending for himself and knowing that he [Payne] suffered from multiple addictions', the BBC reports.
Around the time of it being revealed he was being investigated, shortly before he was charged, Nores clarified, as quoted by MailOnline, he 'wasn't Liam's manager' or any position of responsibility to the singer other than being a 'very dear friend'.
He argued: "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."
A court ruling has since seen the charge against Nores dropped, with a lawyer for Nores stating to local media: "We are happy to have reversed the decision by 360 degrees. We have always maintained that Rogelio Nores was not responsible for Liam Payne's death.
"He was only his friend and had no duty or legal obligation to ensure his safety."
The court documents which saw the ruling against Nores overturned - exclusively obtained by the MailOnline - explain 'the prosecutors and the plaintiff have not pointed out any relationship or complicity on the part of Nores with the two defendants for supplying narcotics to Liam Payne, nor any contribution on his part in the execution of such acts'.
The documents argue 'it cannot be reasonably conceived that Nores could be required to take precautions that would go beyond the contractual relationship of the Casa Sur hotel and its managers with the person who was staying there - all of them adults and in unrestricted exercise of their legal capacities - much less could he be held responsible for the consequences of his acts'.
The court also ruled that Martin and Grassi played no part in Payne's death.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].