In 2010, a heavy metal gig in Prague was derailed by a fatal incident after a fan climbed on stage during a Lamb of God set. The lead singer, Randy Blythe, allegedly shoved the young man back but the consequences of the seemingly insignificant push would be tragic.
Heavy metal gigs can get pretty hectic and it’s easy for listeners to get lost in the moment and behave recklessly. One 19-year-old Lamb of God fan, Daniel Nosek, got so into the music that he decided to bypass the security and climb up onto the stage to get closer to his idol. However, the unwanted intrusion led to Blythe supposedly shoving the young man off of the raised platform.
Two years later, in 2012, Blythe and his band returned to Prague to perform another show, however, this time the Czech authorities were waiting for him at the airport. The lead singer was placed under arrest for the death of the fan who had stormed the stage two years prior.
What happened to Randy Blythe?
Blythe was detained at the airport forcing the band to cancel their shows. Unfortunately, the singer’s decision to push the eager fan had resulted in him falling and hitting his head on the concrete floor below. Despite the stage reportedly being only 3ft off the ground, it was enough to kill. 14 days after that incident, Daniel Nosek passed away in hospital from the injury.
Meanwhile, Blythe and his band were back in America. They carried on for two years, touring and making music before returning to Czechia for another gig. Upon his arrest, his bandmates released a statement claiming that they had not been informed of the fans death as per the BBC. “In the two years since, we were never notified of anything related to this incident,” it seems nobody was aware of the warrant out for Randy Blythe’s arrest.
Randy posted bail and was released from custody shortly after his arrest, however, he would still have to stand trial.
The prosecution sought to charge him with manslaughter and were hoping for a prison sentence of five years for Blythe. The defense argued that the blame lied with the security that failed to prevent the young fan from climbing onto the stage in the first place.
Randy Blythe was acquitted by the Czech court in March of 2013, posting to Instagram at the time, “I am a free man.” In a later post he also asked fans to “please remember the family of Daniel Nosek in your thoughts and prayers in this difficult time.”
