State Department Not Helping Randy Blythe Fight Manslaughter Charge

Blyth was arrested when his band visited the country in June on manslaughter charges stemming from the death of a fan who died two weeks after being allegedly injured at the band's concert in Prague in 2010. He was later released and returned to the U.S. but was formally indicted on the charges last week (see story here)

At the time of his arrest fans used the petition system on the White House website asking for an official response and finally Michael Posner, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor has issued one.

Here is the response: 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.