In a significant breakthrough in the case surrounding the death of Liam Payne, Argentina's Court of Appeals has dropped all charges against his friend, Roger Nores, and two hotel workers, Gilda Martin, and Esteban Grassi.
The ruling, delivered late Wednesday, exonerates them from any legal beak.
The former One Direction star died on October 16, when he fell from a balcony at the CasaSur Palermo hotel in Buenos Aires. Nores and the hotel staff were initially held accountable, but the court found it not responsible for the situation that preceded the singer's death.
According to Rolling Stone, the judges reportedly determined that Nores was not involved in supplying alcohol to Payne, nor did he hold a position preventing what would happen.
While they recognized that if Nores had stayed with him, it is possible that Payne would not have been able to get the substances.
The ruling further said, "But it cannot be ruled out that, even if he had taken those extreme precautions... that [Payne] would have managed to obtain the substances anyway, as is common among addicts, even when they are under the loving care of their family."
Other judges sided with Martin and Grassi, who they ruled did not engage in a "thoughtless, reckless, or merely negligent behavior" that would warrant criminal charges.
Read more: Liam Payne Privately Struggled With His Sexuality, Sexted Other Men Prior to His Death: Report
Nores Plans to Say Goodbye to Payne
After expressing relief over the verdict, Nores tells 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."
Nores' lawyer, Rafael Cúneo Libarona, also spoke with the Argentinian outlet Infobae, continuing their position throughout the case.
"We always maintained that Rogelio Nores was not responsible for the death of Liam Payne. He was only his friend and had no legal duty or obligation to ensure his safety. "
Libarona also explained that Payne was an adult and ultimately had to account for his actions, "whose freedom and capacity were not affected by any interdiction."
Meanwhile, the men accused of supplying Payne—Ezequiel Pereyra and Braian Paiz—will remain in custody until trial. The Wednesday ruling relied on the testimony of Pereyra's co-workers and a Cabify driver who had taken Pereyra to the hotel where Payne was staying.
© 2025 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
