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Argentina Drops Involuntary Manslaughter Charges in Death of Liam Payne

Liam Payne, One Direction, Homicide Involuntary, Drug Supply, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Investigation, Death, Hotel Balcony

Charges Dropped for Three in Liam Payne Death Investigation

Buenos Aires, Argentina – Involuntary manslaughter charges have been dismissed for three of the five individuals indicted in Argentina in connection with the death of former One Direction member Liam Payne, who passed away in October after falling from a hotel balcony.

According to a judicial source, two other individuals suspected of providing drugs to the singer have had their indictments upheld and will remain in pre-trial detention, as per a Wednesday ruling by a criminal and correctional appeals court in Buenos Aires, which AFP obtained access to.

Payne, 31, died on October 16 from "multiple trauma" and "internal and external bleeding" after falling from the balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires, where he had been residing for several days. The investigation revealed that he had consumed alcohol, cocaine, and antidepressants prior to his death.

Five people were originally charged in connection with the singer’s accidental death: an acquaintance and representative of Payne in Argentina who assisted him during his trip to Buenos Aires, the hotel manager, and the reception manager. They were charged with involuntary manslaughter but were released on bail.

The judge in charge of the case considered their conduct on the day of the incident to be inappropriate, including a failure "to provide care, assistance, and help" in the case of Payne’s acquaintance. Regarding the hotel manager and reception manager, she accused them of bringing him back to his room when he "could not stand" after consuming substances.

In its decision, the appeals court stated that "it is necessary to establish or reasonably assume a causal relationship or a logical probability link between the conduct alleged and the result," being the death. The hypothesis proposed by the judge who indicted "does not go beyond mere conjecture."

Concerning the "alleged obligations" of Payne’s representative, the appeals court noted a closeness that "appeared more friendly than professional" and a doubt or, at least, a lack of explanation regarding the link between his "functions and the duty to care for" the singer’s health.

Two other individuals—a hotel employee and a waiter whom Payne met in Buenos Aires—were indicted for "drug trafficking" in exchange for money, which carries a sentence of four to fifteen years in prison, according to the prosecution, which identified the suspects only by their initials. These two defendants were remanded into pre-trial detention.

Regarding them, the appeals court considered that "the evidence reviewed refutes the allegations of the defense and (…) supports the initial accusation" and "attests to the lucrative nature of the transfers (of drugs), justifying the confirmation" of the indictment.

Following the announcement of Payne’s death, tributes took place in several cities around the world, including a gathering in London on October 20. Thousands of people sang songs by the former boy band, which enjoyed enormous success from 2010 to 2016. The band members subsequently pursued solo careers with varying degrees of success, with Payne releasing his debut album in 2019 and a single in March 2024.

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