US metal singer arrested in Prague on manslaughter charges “awaiting release” on bail

The singer of the US heavy metal band Lamb of God, Randy Blythe, who was arrested in Prague last month on manslaughter charges, is awaiting release from prison. On Wednesday, the Prague Municipal Court doubled Mr Blythe’s original bail of 200,000 US dollars, which has already been raised by the band. The singer faces accusations that during the band’s 2010 Prague concert, he pushed a 19-year-old fan off the stage who later succumbed to his injuries. Mr Blythe’s Czech attorney, Martin Radvan, says the heavy metal singer should be out of jail any day now.

Randy Blythe, photo: TV Nova

“We are now waiting for his release because the band has already collected the additional 200,000 dollars, and only due to long travel time between the Prague Municipal Court and the court for Prague 8, we are still waiting. Otherwise, he should have already been released.”

What will happen when Mr Blythe is released? Will he have to stay in the Czech Republic or will he be allowed to leave the country?

“Everything indicates that he will be allowed to travel home. But he will have to come back either for further investigation or the trial, and that’s what he wants to do. As a world-renowned artist, in a specific genre of music of course, he cannot afford to simply disappear. This is a wrong assumption by the Czech police and the Prague municipal prosecutor who still believe there is a possibility he will disappear and never show up again.”

Randy Blythe was arrested, photo: TV Nova

“But there would be posters with his picture all around the world, and if he wants to continue performing, he will have to return. And he wants to return because he believes he is not guilty of anything he has been charged with.”

Randy Blythe, the band’s manager and other members of the band said that no one made any attempt to approach them after the incident, not even the police or the family members of the fan. Why did no one get in touch with the band before they came?

Daniel Nosek, photo: TV Nova

“I really don’t know. Let me put it this way: nobody was expecting that unfortunately, this young man Daniel Nosek would die a month after the concert. His father then spoke to the police who launched an investigation and called several witnesses who were at that concert. They also approached the US Department of Justice and asked them to take part in the investigation which the department refused to do.”

“Refusing to do so, they did not notify anyone from the band or the management, so no one really knew that investigation was underway, which I think is not something the US Department of Justice can be proud of.”

Randy Blythe, photo: José Goulão, Creative Commons 2.0

How is Randy Blythe coping with being in jail? There were reports he was teaching his Mongolian cellmate English, and was picking up some Mongolian in return. He also said he was going to learn to eat dumplings if he’s bound to stay here – so it would seem he has not lost his good spirits…

“Randy Blythe is an intelligent man, he writes songs and now in jail, he has started writing a book. As regards his Mongolian ‘neighbour’, Mr Blythe is not really learning Mongolian from him all the time; we just bought the guy a book of Sudoku so that Randy has a little more time to do things he wants to do.”

Has he complained about the conditions in jail?

“Not at all. He says he is being treated in a fair way, and he has no complaints whatsoever about the guards or anybody in the Pankrác prison. He realizes he cannot do anything about the fact that the prison is old... it’s not a place where he would like to spend more time but well, that’s how it is.”