Liam Payne's close friend speaks out after charges dropped over singer's death
Roger Nores, friend of Liam Payne, is speaking out after he was cleared of all charges in the late One Direction singer's death.
A document filed Feb. 19 in Argentinian court and obtained by ABC News confirmed that the judge in Payne's case cleared Nores of all charges, including negligent homicide and of "failing to comply with duties of care."
"I know it for a fact, like, there's no way any charge is gonna hold so … I was totally, totally expecting this," Nores told ABC News in an exclusive interview.
Nores was seen with Payne hours before the singer's fatal fall from a third-floor balcony in October 2024. The two were seen in Snapchats together in those final days.
Photos of Payne's hotel room showed a smashed TV and drugs scattered. An autopsy revealed a dangerous cocktail of drugs in Payne's system when he died.
Nores' defense lawyer confirmed to ABC News that he asked the court to not consider Nores as a manager or "therapeutic companion" to Payne and only as a friend with no control over him.
The Argentinian court ruled that Nores did not play a role in giving Payne alcohol or drugs, deciding he wasn't responsible for the singer's death. If authorities had continued to pursue a case against him on the negligent homicide charge, Nores could have faced a prison sentence of up to 15 years in Argentina.
"It's been a real weird experience and it's been obviously really hard," Nores said of being caught up in the investigation surrounding Payne's death and not being able to "say goodbye to Liam," whom he called "one of my best friends in the world."
Nores is currently suing Payne's father, Geoff, for defamation in the U.S. He alleges Payne's father gave authorities sworn statements about him that were "false, contained material omissions, and many parts were not based on personal knowledge," including that Payne was in his legal care -- something Nores denies.
"[That lawsuit]'s going to stay there until I get an apology. Simple as that," Nores said.
Also in the Feb. 19 court documents, the Argentinian court dropped the charges for two employees of the hotel where Payne died. The only two remaining in custody and facing charges for Payne's death are the two people accused of providing drugs to Payne.
