Prosecutors have dropped all rape and kidnap charges against Polish band Decapitated.
Michal Lysejko, Waclaw Kietlyka, Rafal Piotrowski and Hubert Wiecek were alleged to have raped a woman on their tour bus after a show in Spokane, Washington, on August 31, 2017.
All four were facing charges of first-degree kidnapping, while Kietlyka and Piotrowski were originally charged with second-degree rape. Lysejko and Wiecek were originally charged with third-degree rape.
The trial was due to begin on January 16, but according to The Spokesman-Review, Spokane County prosecutor Kelly Fitzgerald filed a motion to drop those charges, citing “the well being of the victim” and “in the interest of justice”.
The charges have been dropped “without prejudice” meaning that all four could be prosecuted in the future.
Piotrowski’s lawyer reports that the accuser was involved in the decision and said the other attorneys were confident the prosecution would drop charges once all evidence was heard, which include dozens of people who attended the concert that night.
He told the newspaper: “A close review of the evidence is all it took. We are not criticising the county for moving slow. It just took a long time to get all of the evidence, all of the witnesses, and there were so many witnesses.”
The band will now be allowed to return home after months of detainment, with lawyers still waiting to hear from Immigration and Customs Enforcement as to when that will be. All four have been in the US since their tour started in June last year.
- Decapitated 'strongly deny' kidnap and rape allegations
- Architects return to the cover of Metal Hammer to kickstart 2018
- Our TeamRock+ offer just got bigger. And louder.
- Watch Judas Priest’s video for blistering new track Lightning Strike
Decapitated released from jail pending kidnap and rape trial
