As they await news about the latest attempt to secure bail for their jailed singer, Randy Blythe, metal band Lamb of God announced on Thursday (July 26) that they have been forced to cancel their planned co-headlining tour with Dethklok. More pressingly, according to reports, Blythe remains jailed in the Czech Republic and it is increasingly unclear if he will be allowed to post bail in his manslaughter case over the 2010 death of a fan at a LOG show.
According to The Gauntlet, the prosecutor in the case has challenged Blythe's attempt to secure bail with a $400,000 payment that is double the amount the singer originally posted to secure his release as he awaits a possible trial.
Following Wednesday's challenge, the prosecutor will submit his reasoning for the latest bail denial in court on Friday. At that point, the judge will have five days to rule, which will be followed by five more days to write up and publish the findings to the court. The judge's ruling will be final at that point unless formal charges are filed and Blythe should be free to leave the Czech Republic without any bail conditions and return to the United States.
A spokesperson for the band did not return requests for comment at press time.
D. Randall "Randy" Blythe, 41, was arrested on June 27 at the airport in Prague in connection with the death of a fan at one of the band's shows in 2010. Blythe said in an interview last week that he knew nothing about any "sort of incident [that allegedly took place during the concert]" and that he remembered "very few details" about the show.
Authorities charge that at a 2010 concert at Prague's Club Abaton Blythe allegedly shoved a local fan from the stage. The man Czech media identified only as "Daniel N." reportedly suffered a brain hemorrhage that left him comatose and resulted in his death 14 days afterward. Blythe's representatives have denied the charges and he's received support from a number of his cohorts in the metal community , including Slash and Sebastian Bach.
While his band mates have set up a legal support fund to raise money for his defense, Blythe said he's spending his time in jail reading and writing letters to friends and family as well as keeping a diary. He's getting along well with his cellmate and is working on a book about his time in the Pankrac prison, while also working on new lyrics.
In a statement the band announced the tour cancellation of the tour, which was due to kick off on August 1 in Seattle. "The band regrets the decision but the uncertainty of Randy's release makes it impossible to carry on with the tour.," read the statement. "Upon Randy's release, it is the band's intention to rebook a tour in the fall and at this time the band fully intends to participate in the Mayhem Cruise in December."