Liam Payne's family breaks silence after acquittal of 3 men charged with his manslaughter
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Liam Payne's family has spoken out after three men initially charged with manslaughter in connection to his death were acquitted.
In a statement to the BBC on March 2, the family of the late One Direction star's family expressed their heartbreak while condemning the ongoing media attention surrounding the tragedy.
Statement released by Liam Payne's family
Addressing the issue, Payne's family's statement read, "Liam's death was an unspeakable tragedy. This is a time of tremendous grief and pain for those who knew and loved him. Liam ought to have had a long life ahead of him."
"Instead, Bear has lost his father, Geoff and Karen have lost their son, Ruth and Nicola have lost their brother, and all of Liam's friends and fans have lost someone they held very dear," they added.
The family acknowledged the necessity of the investigation but emphasized that they accepted the Court of Appeal’s ruling to dismiss all charges.
Liam Payne's family opens up on the toll of media scrutiny
Beyond their grief, the family also addressed how ongoing media speculation had deeply affected them, particularly Liam Payne's seven-year-old son, Bear.
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"The constant media attention and speculation have exacted indescribable, lasting damage on the family, particularly on Liam's son, who is trying to process emotions which no seven-year-old should have to experience," the statement continued.
The family pleaded for privacy as they continue to mourn, asking for the space and time to grieve in peace.
Case against the CasaSur Palermo Hotel employees
On February 19, reports from Rolling Stone and the BBC confirmed that three men, Liam Payne's friend Roger Nores and hotel employees Gilda Martin and Esteban Grassi had the charges against them dropped.
They had initially faced manslaughter accusations following a hearing at Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Court.
If convicted, they could have faced one to five years in prison.
However, the Court of Appeals ruled that Nores was not responsible for Payne’s actions and could not have prevented his tragic fall from the CasaSur Palermo Hotel balcony in Buenos Aires in October 2024.
The court acknowledged that Nores had tried to warn Payne’s family about his struggles.
In August 2024, Nores sent an email to Payne’s father expressing concern for his well-being.
Meanwhile, Martin and Grassi had been accused of failing to prevent Payne from accessing his hotel room while intoxicated and neglecting his safety.
However, the judges ruled there was insufficient evidence to hold them accountable.
Ongoing Investigation into drug suppliers
While the three men were cleared of charges, the case is not over.
Two individuals, Ezequiel Pereyra and Braian Paiz, remain in custody and await trial for allegedly supplying Payne with drugs.
If convicted, they could face prison sentences ranging from four to 14 years.
Following the court’s decision, Nores expressed relief, telling Rolling Stone, "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."
Autopsy findings and Liam Payne's cause of death
Liam Payne’s death was officially ruled as "polytrauma" by the Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court in January, according to People.
A preliminary autopsy revealed that he died from multiple injuries and internal hemorrhages after falling from the hotel balcony.
A toxicology report later confirmed that alcohol, cocaine, and prescription antidepressants were in his system at the time of his death.
