Instagram: drandallblythe Randy Blythe has traveled back to the Czech Republic, where his trial on manslaughter charges began today (Feb. 4). Before entering the courtroom, the Lamb of God vocalist posted a photo of himself in a suit and tie (seen to the left), with a message to his fans: “And so it begins,” wrote Blythe on Instagram . “I am calm & prepared. Everyone, thanks for your good thoughts and prayers. Have a nice day, y’all!” As widely reported, Blythe was arrested this past summer on charges of manslaughter stemming from the 2010 death of a 19-year-old man named Daniel, who passed away a few weeks after allegedly being tossed from the stage at a Lamb of God show. Daniel’s family is seeking $530,000 U.S. dollars for the loss of their son, while Blythe also faces 5 to 10 years in prison if convicted. According to The Gauntlet , at the Prague City Court today, Blythe stated, “I’ve kept my word. I said that I would come back to court today and I did. I do not shy away from responsibility. I’m not a person who runs away from problems. But I do not want to be punished for something I did not do. The fan’s death breaks my heart. I never saw Daniel and I never came in contact with him.” The trial, which is expected to run from today through Friday, Feb. 8, began with both sides presenting their cases. In a rough translation from the Czech news site Cesky Rozhlas , the prosecution claimed that Blythe pushed Daniel with great force to the point that he fell off the stage over a metal barrier and hit his head on the ground. The prosecutor went on to explain that the young man hit the back and lower part of his brain, suffering internal bleeding. Blythe testified that the security at the club was insufficient and that several fans tried to rush the stage. As mentioned above, the Gauntlet reports that Blythe insisted he never saw Daniel or came into contact with him. According to WTVR , Lamb of God’s drummer Chris Adler and manager Larry Mazer testified on Blythe’s behalf, praising his character and calling him a quiet person despite his onstage persona. Tomorrow’s proceedings are expected to include testimony from 12 witnesses who attended the 2010 concert. We will update this story as news breaks. Check back with Loudwire for the latest on Randy Blythe’s ongoing trial in the Czech Republic. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/tags/randy-blythe/” title=”See More of the Latest News on Randy Blythe” align=”center”]
Posts Tagged ‘randy-blythe’
Lamb of God Vocalist Randy Blythe’s Manslaughter Trial Begins in Czech Republic
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Fan-Generated Randy Blythe Online Petition Receives U.S. Department of State Response
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Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com The U.S. government may not have been forthcoming with information to Randy Blythe before the Lamb of God singer traveled to the Czech Republic and found himself serving a jail stint over the summer, but they’re definitely keeping an eye on his alleged manslaughter case now. A Lamb of God fan from Brandenburg, Ky. was responsible for creating a petition on the White House website asking for the government’s help as the singer prepares to head back to the Czech Republic to answer to the charges. The vocalist was arrested this past summer when the band returned to play a show in Prague. Local officials claimed that Blythe was involved in tossing an audience member from the stage and that the man in question later died from an injury sustained when he hit the ground. The petition garnered 29,000 signatures over a 30-day period, which is 4,000 more signatures than necessary for it to receive the requisite attention. Michael Posner, the Assistant Secretary of State of Democracy for Human Rights and Labor, drafted a statement on the Randy Blythe matter. It reads as follows: We appreciate your inquiry about the case of D. Randall Blythe, who was released from detention in the Czech Republic on August 3, 2012, and returned to the United States shortly thereafter. Mr. Blythe has publicly stated his intention to return to the Czech Republic to face trial for the alleged manslaughter of a Czech man at a concert in 2010. He recently told MTV, ‘It’s the correct thing for me to do … this poor young man’s family deserves some answers.’ Pending Mr. Blythe’s trial, we cannot discuss the details of his case. We are closely monitoring the progress of his trial. The Department Of State noted in its 2011 Human Rights Report that in the Czech Republic, ‘The laws provide for the right to a fair trial, and the independent judiciary generally enforced this right.’ We expect that the Czech government will make all efforts to ensure a fair, transparent, and timely trial for Mr. Blythe, and guarantee full protection of his legal rights under Czech law and his welfare. If you would like to know more about what the Department of State does for U.S. citizens overseas, please visit our website at Travel.State.Gov. General information on U.S. human rights policy is available at HumanRights.gov. On Nov. 30, the Czech state attorney filed criminal charges against Blythe after reading the case file presented to him about the investigation. The Prague court has three months to set a trial date. Blythe, who already served a 37-day stint behind bars this summer, could face a long-term sentence if convicted. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-lamb-of-god-songs/” title=”Next: 10 Best Lamb of God Songs” align=”center”]
Disturbed Singer David Draiman Urges Fans to Support Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe
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Ethan Miller, Getty Images As reported yesterday (Dec. 3), Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe has been indicted on manslaughter charges in the Czech Republic by the State’s Attorney Office in Prague and, as a result, will likely stand trial in the near future. Following the news of Blythe’s indictment, Lamb of God’s manager offered a lengthy statement . Many musicians are also speaking out, one of them being Disturbed frontman David Draiman who took to the band’s official Facebook to speak his mind about this situation. Draiman states: “MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS MY BLOOD, OUR FRIEND RANDY BLYTHE OF LAMB OF GOD HAS NOW OFFICIALLY BEEN INDICTED ON CHARGES OF MANSLAUGHTER. THIS IS A TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE. HE IS BEING A MAN AND STANDING UP TO THESE CHARGES. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT BY ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE AND TWITTER PAGES, RAISE AWARENESS AMONGST YOUR FRIENDS, AND TAKE THE TIME TO DONATE TO HIS DEFENSE FUND ON BOTH PAGES. YOU CAN ALSO HELP BY WRITING YOUR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND PRESSURING THE U.S. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS/STATE DEPARTMENT TO GET PERSONALLY INVOLVED. WE STAND BEHIND RANDY, HOPE ALL OF YOU WILL AS WELL. AS ALWAYS, MUCH RESPECT. -DAVID P.S. BEEN USING CAPS FOR YEARS, NOT CHANGING. BIGGER PROBLEMS IN LIFE. BUILD A BRIDGE AND GET OVER IT.” Blythe was arrest was arrested in June of this year in regard to an alleged incident where a man died a few weeks after an apparent stage fall at a Lamb of God concert in the Czech Republic in 2010. The vocalist spent five weeks in a Czech prison before being released in early August. If Blythe is convicted of manslaughter, he could face 5-10 years in prison. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/lamb-of-god-randy-blythe-indicted-manslaughter-charges-czech-republic/” title=”Next: More on Randy Blythe’s Indictment” align=”center”]
Lamb of God Manager Responds to Randy Blythe’s Czech Republic Indictment
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Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Earlier today, news broke from the Czech Republic that Lamb of God vocalist Randy Blythe has been officially indicted for the charge of manslaughter. Now, an update has come from the Lamb of God camp, who have issued a statement on the case’s most recent development. This latest development begins a new chapter of Blythe’s controversial case, and the indictment means that the District Court of ‘Prague 8′ has three months to either set a trial date for Blythe, or postpone the decision for the sake of continuing the ongoing investigation. Lamb of God manager Larry Mazer has responded to the indictment with a new statement. Mazer states: After a three month investigation, the prosecutor in the Czech Republic has decided to move forward with an indictment of Randy Blythe on the charge of manslaughter with intent to cause bodily harm. Obviously, we intend to fight vigorously against these charges as we feel that in no way did Randy intend to cause bodily harm on the young fan who subsequently died from injuries sustained at the show. As he has stated previously, Randy intends to go to Prague to defend himself at trial. While it is a tragedy that a Lamb of God fan died following a performance by the group, in no way do I feel that Randy did anything improper that led to the young man’s injuries and subsequent death. The price of a ticket to a show does not entitle audience members access to a band’s stage. In the years since the murder on stage of Dimebag Darrell Abbott, performers of all genres have had to become more guarded while performing in response to the dangers presented by fans trying to become part of the performance. We believe that Randy responded professionally to the numerous amount of fans rushing the stage that day, a number of them captured on videos that have been posted on the internet. We have testimony from the venue operator that acknowledges lax security and an improper barricade being used that evening. Numerous testimonies from fans also were contradictory as to the actions of the multiple fans that tried to access the stage. At this point, all that the band, myself, and our lawyers can do is to present a defense and try to convince the panel of judges who will hear the case that Randy is innocent of all charges and that his name and reputation need to be cleared and that he be permitted to carry on with his life and career always mindful that a fan passed away after a Lamb of God performance. Stay tuned for more on the Randy Blythe case as news breaks. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/lamb-of-god-randy-blythe-indicted-manslaughter-charges-czech-republic/” title=”Randy Blythe Officially Indicted by Czech Republic for Manslaughter Charges” align=”center”]
Rock Titan of the Year – 2012 Loudwire Music Awards
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Last year, our most popular category in the Loudwire Music Awards was the Rock Goddess of the Year, celebrating the talented women in rock. But we also got some feedback from readers asking us to pay tribute to the men who best represented rock music over the year. We’ve answered the call with a brand-new category in 2012 – Rock Titan of the Year. A massive amount of bands have shaped the world of music in 2012, but some singular musicians have been especially important. Along with releasing quality music and/or touring this year, these titans have accomplished a variety of notable achievements. By making gigantic impacts, overcoming tragic circumstances, or both, we give you seven nominees for Rock Titan of the Year. Check out the nominated musicians and be sure to vote in the poll below: Corey Taylor, Slipknot/Stone Sour Slipknot / Stone Sour vocalist Corey Taylor accomplished a great deal this year. Not only did he headline the 2012 Mayhem Festival with Slipknot, but Taylor also released ‘House of Gold & Bones Part 1′ with Stone Sour. ? Jesse Leach, Killswitch Engage After vocalist Howard Jones announced his departure from Killswitch Engage , original Killswitch singer Jesse Leach returned to the band, receiving a red-hot reception from fans. Leach has also been working diligently with his bandmates on a new Killswitch record. ? John Baizley, Baroness Baroness released the brilliant double album ‘Yellow & Green,’ this year before surviving a terrifying bus crash while touring in England. John Baizley sustained some incredibly serious injuries from the crash, but despite the physical toll, Baizley has shared his story with fans, radiating an overwhelming amount of positivity. ? Phil Anselmo, Pantera / Down Legendary vocalist Phil Anselmo had prominent releases from both Down and Pantera this year. Down released their acclaimed ‘Purple EP’ while Pantera’s ‘Vulgar Display of Power’ got a 20th anniversary release with the added track ‘Piss.’ Anselmo even performed in both of the 2012 ‘Metal Masters’ clinics. ? Randy Blythe, Lamb of God Lamb of God vocalist Randy Blythe was unfortunately on the wrong side of metal’s biggest news story of the year. After releasing ‘Resolution’ with Lamb of God early in the year, Blythe persisted through over a month in Czech prison, while refusing to run from his controversial charges. ? Slash The iconic top-hatted guitarist took 2012 by storm with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators. Slash released ‘Apocalyptic Love’ this year, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and helped spearhead a reunion performance of Guns N’ Roses sans Axl Rose. ? Tony Iommi, Black Sabbath The news of Tony Iommi ‘s lymphoma diagnosis hit metal fans straight in the gut this year, but the ‘Iron Man’ has been steadfast in fighting the condition while writing and recording a new Black Sabbath album. Iommi was also able to perform with Sabbath for three shows in 2012 and continues to work on a new Sabbath album. ? Voting for the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards closes on Jan. 15 at 11:59 PM EST. Fans can vote once per hour, so keep coming back to make sure your favorite band wins! Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. Get Notified When Winners Are Announced Enter your email address below to receive the daily Loudwire newsletter, which will include notification of our full list of winners in the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards, as well as the top stories in rock and metal. Email