Liam Payne's Friend Reveals Plans To 'Say Goodbye' To The Singer As He's Cleared Of Manslaughter Charges

A court has cleared Liam Payne's friend Roger Nores and two hotel employees of manslaughter charges related to the singer's fatal balcony fall in Argentina.

Judges ruled that Nores wasn't responsible for Payne's drug use or death. An autopsy had confirmed the singer had a lethal mix of substances in his system.

Meanwhile, two men accused of supplying Liam Payne cocaine remain in custody, facing up to 15 years in prison.

In a recent ruling, a close friend of the late Payne, along with two hotel employees, has been cleared of manslaughter charges related to the former One Direction star's fatal balcony fall in Argentina.

Payne's close friend, Nores, an Argentine energy fund tycoon, had been facing charges alongside hotel security chief Gilda Martin and receptionist Esteban Grassi.

However, on Wednesday, a court ruled that they bore no responsibility for Payne's tragic plunge from his balcony at the CasaSur Palermo hotel in Buenos Aires last October following a night of drug use.

In an interview with Rolling Stone following the ruling, Nores said: "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' attorney, Rafael Cuneo Libarona, expressed relief over the court's decision, stating that they are "happy to have reversed the decision."

He emphasized that they had always maintained Nores bore no responsibility for Payne's death, adding: "We have always maintained that Rogelio Nores was not responsible for Liam Payne's death. He was only his friend and had no duty or legal obligation to ensure his safety."

Nores and the two hotel employees were among five individuals charged in December as authorities investigated the singer's untimely death.

Prosecutors still have the option to appeal the dismissal of charges but have not yet indicated whether they will pursue it.

Meanwhile, two men, Ezequiel Pereyra and Braian Paiz, remain in custody as they await trial for allegedly supplying Payne with cocaine that night.

Paiz, a waiter, and Pereyra, a suspended hotel employee, are facing serious drug-related charges. They could receive prison sentences ranging from 4 to 15 years if convicted.

An autopsy revealed that Payne had a lethal mix of drugs in his system at the time of his fatal fall on October 16, including crack cocaine and "pink cocaine," a potent combination of ketamine and other substances.

Nores, who had spent nearly every day with Payne during the singer's two-week stay in Buenos Aires, initially came under scrutiny for allegedly abandoning his friend, as he had left the hotel just hours before the tragedy.

However, in a detailed ruling issued Wednesday, judges concluded that Nores was not responsible for Payne's access to alcohol and drugs, nor could he have prevented the fatal incident.

"It is possible that, if he had stayed in his company at all times, [Payne] would not have obtained the drugs and alcohol in the quantities necessary for the state of intoxication he exhibited at the time of his death," the ruling stated.

It continued, "But it cannot be ignored that, even with strict supervision, [Payne] could have still found a way to access the drugs—something often seen in cases of addiction, even when individuals are surrounded by the care of their loved ones."

The court also determined that there was no evidence suggesting the hotel staff acted with negligence, recklessness, or disregard in the events leading up to Payne's death.

Nores had consistently denied any responsibility for his friend's fatal fall, arguing that Argentine authorities unfairly targeted him as a "scapegoat."

"I never abandoned Liam, I went to his hotel three times that day and left 40 minutes before this happened," Nores said in the aftermath of the tragedy. "There were over 15 people at the hotel lobby chatting and joking with him when I left. I could have never imagined something like this would happen."

"I wasn't Liam's manager. He was just my very dear friend," Nores added, per the BBC.

TMZ previously obtained documents showing that Nores filed a lawsuit against the singer's father, Geoff.

In the lawsuit, Nores accused his friend's father of smearing his name after Payne's passing. He appeared to reference Geoff's public claims that he was responsible for caring for Payne.

Nores also suggested that Geoff had made him a target of the Buenos Aires police by submitting a sworn declaration which claimed that Nores had "full responsibility for Liam's care during this last period."

According to the 35-year-old, Geoff's claims were false as he had "never agreed to be and was never the caretaker of Liam."

He went on to say that he shared a strong bond with the late singer and that they supported each other, but it was solely because they were "dear friends" and not due to any paid arrangement.