LAMB OF GOD Frontman Finally Makes Bail; Will Remain In Czech Custody Until At Least Next Week

LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe posted 4 million Czech Koruna bail (approximately $200,000) at noon today (Tuesday, July 3) but will remain in Czech custody for at least the next few days.

Blythe has been jailed in Prague, the Czech Republic, where he is accused of causing the death of a fan at one of the band's shows in 2010.

Due to statutory deadlines and the two-day holiday in the Czech Republic at the end of this week, Blythe will likely see his release sometime next week.

According to judge Petr Fassati of Prague 8 district court, the prosecutor has three working days to decide whether to approve Blythe's release. Since Thursday and Friday are public holidays in the Czech Republic, the deadline for the prosecutor to make a decision regarding a possible release is Monday, July 9. Even if the prosecutor was to make his/her decision today regarding a possible release, Blythe would not be able to leave the country until next week because the court has another three days to provide an official comment on the prosecutor's approval. If the prosecutor was to oppose Blythe's release, an official complaint would be sent to the municipal court. If both the court and the prosecutor agree to oppose Blythe's release, the bail would likely be canceled and returned to the singer.

Blythe was arrested last week at the Prague airport in connection with a 2010 Prague concert at which he allegedly either pushed or struck a 19-year-old fan named Daniel N. — a guitarist in a local metal band — who had come on stage, and that person died 14 days later of bleeding in the brain.

Blythe faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

A number of Blythe's fellow rockers have come to his defense, with many of them citing the 2004 shooting death onstage of PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott as the reason why musicians are so defensive nowadays about fans invading the stage.

DISTURBED frontman David Draiman said on Twitter, "The kid jumped on stage and started a brawl, and Randy defended himself. That his life was lost in the process is truly unfortunate, but Randy is my friend and he's no murderer. I feel for the child and for the family and for Randy, but you have to understand that ever since Dimebag Darrell was assaulted, shot, and murdered on stage by a 'fan,' all of us have been very defensive/cautious of anyone jumping up on stage."

Draiman's bandmate and drummer Mike Wengren told The Pulse Of Radio not along after Dimebag was shot that his death had cast a shadow over live performing. "I think one of the most scariest things is, you go up onstage, and there's this energy transfer between the band and the crowd, and you almost feel invincible. You feel very empowered. Never in a million years would anyone ever think something like that was even possible, and I think it just caught everyone off guard. It's pretty scary."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH bassist Chris Kael simply tweeted, ""Everything changed on December 8, 2004. #stayoffthestage #FreeRandyBlythe."

Slash also posted the "Free Randy Blythe" hashtag, while ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian wrote, "It's complete and utter bullshit for him to be treated like a criminal for something he didn't do. Now fans can see firsthand why there's no stage diving anymore. Especially in the post-Darrell world we live in . . . Of course it's sad that this person died, it's a tragedy, but it's not Randy's fault."

LAMB OF GOD had been touring Europe in support of its latest album, "Resolution", when Blythe was arrested. The band canceled the rest of its shows and returned home to Richmond, Virginia on Sunday (July 1) — all, of course, except Blythe.

LAMB OF GOD's publicist, Adrenaline PR, issued a statement on Friday stressing that "under no circumstances was there a fight of any kind involved [during LAMB OF GOD's 2010 concert]. This incident deals with a fan that three times during the concert jumped the barricade and rushed Randy during the performance. It is alleged that the third time, security was not able to reach him and that Randy pushed him back into the audience where supposedly he fell and hit his head."

Images below courtesy of Czech Republic's TV Nova