Prague, Sept 30 (CTK) – A Prague district court rejected yesterday a request for a 15-million-crown compensation claimed by U.S. rock singer Randy Blythe for his prosecution and custody in the Czech Republic.
Blythe, 44, vocalist and lyricist of the American groove metal band Lamb of God, was acquitted in 2013. He was charged with causing the death of a fan during a concert in Prague in 2010.
The young man climbed up the stage, from which he fell down and suffered a head injury to which he later succumbed in hospital. According to the indictment, Blythe pushed him down, which was not proved in court, however.
Blythe spent a month in Czech custody from which he was released on bail.
The Justice Ministry, which represents the state in the dispute, paid 37,000 crowns to Blythe in compensation for custody. However, he claims 15 million crowns for non-proprietary damage and further 555,000 crowns for custody.
Blythe lives in the United States. He did not arrive in the Czech Republic to hear the verdict on the compensation yesterday. However, he attended the trial in 2013.
Blythe was charged with causing bodily harm to another person with lethal consequences and faced up to ten years in prison if convicted.
He was arrested in Prague in June 2012 after he returned to the Czech Republic to paly at other concerts. He said he had not known about the tragedy until then. He was taken into custody and released on bail set at $400,000 after five weeks.
In March 2013, the Prague Municipal Court acquitted Blythe of charges, ruling that he had not injured the fan intentionally. The appeals court upheld the verdict in June 2013.
($1=24.286 crowns)
