Lamb of God singer Randy Blythe has spoken out on his acquittal of manslaughter in Prague earlier this week. As he explains in an open letter on Instagram, Blythe is not looking to return to the Czech city for a long time but still holds love for it.
"This is a wonderful place and many people have been kind to me. Not a single soul here has been rude or mean to me at all, nor done me any harm – in fact it is quite the opposite," he writes. "I have grown to love this city, for it is a marvelous, magical town. I encourage everyone to come visit here, to see this lovely country."
Q&A: Lamb of God's Randy Blythe on Imprisonment and Freedom
Still, Blythe feels "great sadness" and urges his readers to remember 19-year-old Daniel Nosek, who died after being pushed offstage by Blythe at a May 24th, 2010 Lamb of God show. "A young man is still dead, and his family still suffers. Please remember that fact. This family did no wrong, and have shown me great kindness," he writes. "They just want to get on with their lives the best they can. I wish them only the best, and will keep them in my thoughts and prayers."
Blythe closed by honoring Nosek and acknowledging that he has difficult personal times ahead. Full text of Blythe's letter below:
I am leaving Prague now – I hope not to return for a long while. This has nothing to do with this city, the people who live here, or the Czech Republic itself at all. This is a wonderful place, and many people have been kind to me. Not a single soul here has been rude or mean to me at all, nor done me any harm – in fact it is quite the opposite. I have grown to love this city, for it is a marvelous, magical town. I encourage everyone to come visit here, to see this lovely country. But for me it is a place of great sadness.
While I am relieved that my innocence was proven and apparently I shall not be going to prison, I am in no way shape or form a happy man right now. The small inconveniences I have been through since my arrest are not noteworthy. People go through much worse daily and still keep a smile on their faces, but currently my smiles are far and few between. A young man is still dead, and his family still suffers. Please remember that fact. This family did no wrong, and have shown me great kindness - with silence, with actions, and finally with words - they spoke on my behalf to the court, and we had a private talk afterwards. All I will say about that is that they were very kind to me and displayed the utmost strength and class, and wished me a good life. They just want to get on with their lives the best they can. I wish them only the best, and will keep them in my thoughts and prayers. Please do the same - think good thoughts of them and healing thoughts for them. Trust me, they are good people, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. They did NOTHING wrong.
This picture is from Kutna Hora, at the Sedlec Ossuary. I was there yesterday - like Prague, it is an amazing place. About this city, Kafka wrote: "Prague doesn't let go... This old crone has claws. One has to yield, or else." I have found this to be true. I am yielding, I am leaving a part of myself here, I think. Some bit of me will always roam these streets at night, and that is only fitting. Now I will go home and try to see what good I can make come out the destruction that occurred here - it is the only correct thing to do. Rest in peace, Daniel Nosek.
This article originally appeared on Rolling Stone: Lamb of God's Randy Blythe Releases Statement on Manslaughter Acquittal
