Charges Dropped Against Liam Payne's Friend Following Singer's Death
Court reverses manslaughter charges against Rogelio Nores and two hotel staff involved in the case.
Manslaughter charges against Rogelio "Roger" Nores, a friend of the late singer Liam Payne, and two hotel workers have been officially dropped by an Argentine appeals court.
The charges were initially filed in December, following the death of the One Direction star in October 2022, when he fell from a balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires.
In a ruling issued on Wednesday, three judges from the appeal court overturned the prior decision to prosecute Nores, along with Gilda Martin, the hotel’s head of security, and Esteban Grassi, the chief receptionist who made an emergency call shortly before Payne's fall.
The decision came just eight days after a hearing at Argentina's National Criminal and Correctional Court.
All three individuals had faced potential prison sentences ranging from one to five years if convicted.
However, the court noted they could be eligible for suspended sentences should the situation arise.
Nores expressed relief over the ruling, stating, "Glad this is finally over.
I'm happy I'm now going to be able to travel to the UK and say goodbye to my friend." His lawyer, Rafael Cuneo Libarona, emphasized Nores’s lack of legal obligation to ensure Payne’s safety, contending, "We have always maintained that Rogelio Nores was not responsible for Liam Payne's death."
Despite the dropped charges against Nores and the hotel staff, two other individuals remain in custody.
Braian Nahuel Paiz, a waiter, and Ezequiel David Pereyra, a suspended hotel worker, continue to face accusations of supplying cocaine to Payne, with potential prison sentences ranging from four to 15 years if they are found guilty.
The prosecution had initially argued that Nores, in his supposed capacity as Payne's manager, failed in his duty of care.
This argument was countered by Nores, who reiterated that he was not Payne's manager and described their relationship as one of close friendship.
He stated, "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."
As it stands, prosecutors retain the option to appeal the decision to drop the charges against Nores and the hotel personnel, although no indication has been made as to whether they will pursue such action.
The charges were initially filed in December, following the death of the One Direction star in October 2022, when he fell from a balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires.
In a ruling issued on Wednesday, three judges from the appeal court overturned the prior decision to prosecute Nores, along with Gilda Martin, the hotel’s head of security, and Esteban Grassi, the chief receptionist who made an emergency call shortly before Payne's fall.
The decision came just eight days after a hearing at Argentina's National Criminal and Correctional Court.
All three individuals had faced potential prison sentences ranging from one to five years if convicted.
However, the court noted they could be eligible for suspended sentences should the situation arise.
Nores expressed relief over the ruling, stating, "Glad this is finally over.
I'm happy I'm now going to be able to travel to the UK and say goodbye to my friend." His lawyer, Rafael Cuneo Libarona, emphasized Nores’s lack of legal obligation to ensure Payne’s safety, contending, "We have always maintained that Rogelio Nores was not responsible for Liam Payne's death."
Despite the dropped charges against Nores and the hotel staff, two other individuals remain in custody.
Braian Nahuel Paiz, a waiter, and Ezequiel David Pereyra, a suspended hotel worker, continue to face accusations of supplying cocaine to Payne, with potential prison sentences ranging from four to 15 years if they are found guilty.
The prosecution had initially argued that Nores, in his supposed capacity as Payne's manager, failed in his duty of care.
This argument was countered by Nores, who reiterated that he was not Payne's manager and described their relationship as one of close friendship.
He stated, "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."
As it stands, prosecutors retain the option to appeal the decision to drop the charges against Nores and the hotel personnel, although no indication has been made as to whether they will pursue such action.
