All four members of Decapitated were in a Spokane County court today, October 24th, to plead not guilty to charges of kidnapping and raping a woman on their tour bus a few weeks ago.
Decapitated was arrested on September 9 in Santa Ana, California, on charges that the band allegedly raped a woman in Spokane, Washington after a show on August 31. The band and its attorney have vehemently denied these claims. Guitarist Waclaw Kieltyka was charged with first-degree kidnapping and second-degree rape and drummer Michal Lysejko was charged with first-degree kidnapping and third-degree rape. Meanwhile, vocalist Rafal Piotrowski is charged with first-degree kidnapping and second-degree rape, and bassist Hubert Wiecek is charged with first-degree kidnapping and third-degree rape.
According to AP, the musicians did not say much other than their not guilty plea:
"I am not guilty," Lysejko told the judge in heavily accented English. The other three also entered their pleas in English, and all four wore yellow jail jumpsuits and handcuffs as they came and left the courtroom.
A Polish interpreter explained the court proceedings to them over a speakerphone.
The trial is set to begin in December. Decapitated have maintained their innocence throughout the legal proceedings. Last Friday, the band's lawyer released a statement explaining the formal charges:
An update – following extradition from California to Washington, the band has now been charged. We’d like to emphasise; the Spokane Police Department has pressed charges as procedural formality, without doing so, they would be forced to release band – this is not a conviction or any indication of guilt or innocence.
Once again, we ask that everyone wait for each party’s case to be presented and await the court’s decision. With that said, whilst cases are being prepared on both sides, some facts are indisputable at this point – that the original officer who took the complaint from the accuser stated, "I do not have probable cause that a rape occurred”, and it’s taken a full 30 days to file charges, which is right up against the point at which the defendants would legally have had to be released.
The band firmly refutes the allegations and are confident that once the facts and evidence have been seen and heard, they will be released and able to return home.
Individuals who were present on the night in question with information about the case are asked to reach out to the defense lawyer, Steve Graham of Spokane, Washington.
All four members were ordered to surrender their passports and have bail set at $100,000 each.
