Michael Posner, the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, has officially commented on this fan-led petition regarding the then imprisonment of Lamb Of God vocalist Randy Blythe.
Posner‘s reply to the petition can be read below:
“We appreciate your inquiry about the case of D. Randall Blythe, who was released from detention in the Czech Republic on August 3, 2012, and returned to the United States shortly thereafter. Mr. Blythe has publicly stated his intention to return to the Czech Republic to face trial for the alleged manslaughter of a Czech man at a concert in 2010. He recently told MTV, ‘It’s the correct thing for me to do … this poor young man’s family deserves some answers.’ Pending Mr. Blythe’s trial, we cannot discuss the details of his case. We are closely monitoring the progress of his trial.
The Department of State noted in its 2011 Human Rights Report that in the Czech Republic, ‘The laws provide for the right to a fair trial, and the independent judiciary generally enforced this right.’ We expect that the Czech government will make all efforts to ensure a fair, transparent, and timely trial for Mr. Blythe, and guarantee full protection of his legal rights under Czech law and his welfare.
If you would like to know more about what the Department of State does for U.S. citizens overseas, please visit our website at www.Travel.State.Gov. General information on U.S. human rights policy is available at www.HumanRights.gov.”
As was previously reported, Blythe was recently indicted on manslaughter charges in Prague, CZE in regards to the fatal injuries suffered by a 19 year old fan at a 2010 Lamb Of God show. A trial date is pending with Blythe, who is currently out on bail from the charges, planning to attend.
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