Polish metal band Decapitated cleared of rape and kidnapping charges

"The well-being of the victim" was cited as the reason

Charges of rape and kidnapping made against Polish metal band Decapitated have been dropped due to the “well-being of the victim”.

The band were arrested last summer, after being accused of kidnapping and gang-raping a fan following a show in Spokane, Washington last August. In October, they released a statement refuting the allegations, shortly before pleading ‘not guilty’ in court.

Now, the case against the band has been dropped for the foreseeable future, with prosecutors citing only “the well-being of the victim” as their reason. A trial for all four members of the band had been scheduled for January 16.

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An attorney for the band’s Waclaw Kieltyka, 35, says: “We feel it was the result of everyone taking a second look at this matter in light of new evidence. They are headed back home this week.”

The case was dismissed without prejudice, meaning the band could still face trial at a later date.

According to court documents, Decapitated members Michal Lysejko, Waclaw Kieltyka, Rafal Piotrowski and Hubert Wiecek are accused of inviting the woman and a friend on their tour bus after the show. While on the bus, the woman says she groped by Lysejko and was then followed into the bathroom by lead singer Piotrowski.

The court documents say the woman “attempted to push Piotrowski away but he grabbed her arm and spun her around to where she was facing the sink and mirror in the bathroom,” after which the band members allegedly took turns raping her. The woman spent an “unknown amount of time” on the bus before being carried out by Kieltyka and another male, it is claimed.

After calling 911, the woman was then picked up two miles from the venue. The tour bus had already left. Police noted the woman had “significant bruising to her upper arms consistent with being restrained” and “small abrasions to her knuckles that were scabbed over” when she was picked up.

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