Five People Facing Charges In Connection To Liam Payne’s Death

Kate Green/Getty Images

Five People Facing Charges In Connection To Liam Payne’s Death

Kate Green/Getty Images

Former One Direction member Liam Payne died in October after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires. He was reportedly visibly under the influence of drugs and alcohol in the moments leading up to the fall, and the news of his death was met with immediate speculation about whether or not that fall was intentional or accidental. Now, Payne’s death is being investigated as an accident, and a total of five people are facing charges in connection to it.

After three people were charged in November in connection to Payne’s death, five people have now been indicted as of Friday. Under Argentina’s legal system, a judge typically decides whether or not to bring a case to trial after prosecutors present all evidence; Judge Laura Bruniard has already decided to move forward with a trial, noting that hotel footage shows Payne unable to care for himself. The defendants’ lawyers may still choose to appeal the judge’s decision. A statement from the local prosecutor’s office suggests it’s unlikely that Payne’s fall was a suicide attempt.

Roger Nores — Payne’s friend who has faced public scrutiny since his death — has been charged with negligent homicide after “failing to fulfill his duties of care, assistance and help” towards Payne, and having “abandoned him to his luck knowing that he was incapable of fending for himself and knowing that he suffered from multiple addictions.” The hotel’s manager Gilda Martin and receptionist Esteban Grassi are also being charged with manslaughter for allowing Payne to be taken to his hotel room while extremely inebriated, posing a threat to his safety.

Additionally, hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra and local waiter Braian Paiz are being indicted on drug charges, having each allegedly sold Payne cocaine twice in the two days before his death.

Beyond legal news, TMZ reports that Payne’s psychiatrist had dropped the singer as a patient in the weeks leading up to his death. In a letter filed in Argentinian court, the psychiatrist said that “after careful consideration and assessment,” she’d decided Payne needed a “higher level of care” than she could provide. She said she urged Payne to continue with a treatment plan and speak with a therapist. TMZ has also recently unveiled their Hulu documentary Liam Payne: Who’s To Blame?, which explores the circumstances of his death.

@liam.james.payne1993 I don’t believe it #liampayne #ripliampayne #justiceforliampayne #pourtoii #fyp ♬ son original – Paynooo »» 🕊️

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