Liam Payne died after falling off the balcony in his Buenos Aires hotel room in October. Photo / Getty Images
Liam Payne died after falling off the balcony in his Buenos Aires hotel room in October. Photo / Getty Images
Liam Payne’s family “finally feel that justice is possible” after five people were charged in connection with his death. The 31-year-old singer died after falling off the balcony in his Buenos Aires hotel room in October and while his grieving family are devastated over his death, they feel relievedthat charges have been brought.
A friend of Payne’s family told The Sun: “It’s been a very difficult Christmas for them but they now just want justice for their son. “Finally, after a horrific couple of months, there is a feeling like this could be possible.”
Payne’s manager – as well as the manager of the Casa Sur Hotel and its head of reception have been charged with negligent homicide and face up to five years in prison if convicted. A hotel employee and a local waiter have been charged with supplying drugs and could be jailed for 15 years. Judge Laura Bruniard said Payne fell to his death after trying to climb over his balcony. She added that he should have been held in safety instead of being put at risk by being taken to his room after he binged on booze and “various” other substances.
Judge Bruniard says the hotel employees created a legally unacceptable risk and Liam Payne’s death is the result. Photo / Getty Images
Judge Bruniard said about the two hotel employees she has charged with manslaughter: “I consider that they didn’t act maliciously with regards to the singer’s death but they were reckless in facilitating his transfer to his room by taking him there. “They created a legally unacceptable risk and Liam Payne’s death is the result. “Liam wanted to climb over the balcony, fell into the abyss and died.”
The judge added Payne had been “demanding” drugs and alcohol while staying at the hotel and said on the day of his shock passing he was “unable to stand” in the hotel lobby due to “consumption of various substances”. Court documents also showed the judge said just before 5pm on the day he died, Payne was clearly “unable to look after himself” and had “clearly fainted” in the hotel lobby. The singer was then “dragged” to his room by the receptionist and two others, which the manager allowed to happen “at least by omission”. Judge Bruniard added Payne’s “altered” consciousness and access to a balcony from his hotel room meant the “proper thing to do” would have been to “leave him in a safe place and with company until a doctor arrived”.
