The A I Lay Dying line-up implosion has been some sort of a saga that has developed for the best part of the last two months. In case you missed some pieces of the story, the first to leave (in the public eye, anyway) was bassist Ryan Neff with barely any statement, and then their tour manager quit amidst rumors that As I Lay Dying's European tour was canceled.
Then, guitarist Ken Susi quit the band saying his "personal morals have recently been tested to a breaking point," followed immediately by drummer Nick Pierce quitting and saying he needs to "distance myself from the band in an effort to retain my personal health and integrity." Phil Sgrosso later quit, before Lambesis himself stated that he would carry on with a whole new lineup and acknowledged that "there was an unhealthy environment that made leaving for a new tour with the previous lineup unrealistic."
However the story kept unfolding, and as of yesterday (November 26), disturbing footage of Lambesis in heated exchanges with his now ex-wife, Dany Lambesis, surfaced online. The anonymously leaked clips, which showed Tim in a visibly agitated state, have sparked widespread discussion.
The videos depict troubling moments, including verbal and physical aggression on Tim’s part. In one clip, he flips over a table during an argument. In both clips, Tim can also be seen repeatedly striking himself while appearing overwhelmed. These visuals have fueled rumors of domestic violence, which first emerged last month following the streaks of sudden departures.
In response to the rumors, Dany, who has reverted to her maiden name following their separation, issued a statement denying allegations of domestic violence. Now, today (November 27), Tim responded with a formal statement addressing the footage and the allegations surrounding it, revealing that he is pursuing a restraining order against Dany and confirming an ongoing domestic violence investigation.
Tim alleges years of abuse by Dany and stated he filed for divorce this week. He also attributed his physical outbursts in the leaked footage to what he described as “anxiety-filled reactions.” His statement is as follows:
“There is currently a restraining order and a domestic violence investigation being filed against Dany Norris (formerly Lambesis). Anything she is saying now is to distract people away from that to instead focus on my own inappropriate (but not illegal) reactions to these anxiety-inducing interactions.
"This woman assaulted me and verbally/mentally abused me over 3 years. I took the much-needed and overdue step to leave her yesterday by delivering divorce papers. That is the reason there have been attempts at retaliation toward me online today that pale in comparison to what will really be the focus of the courts.
The following evidences are part of the case:
- Multiple videos of her assaulting me
- Videos of her chasing me around the house with a knife or scissors
- Video of her insisting that I delete all other accounts of her physically assaulting me under threat of her knocking me out with a weapon held over my head
- Photos of a black-eye she gave me with witness accounts of the event
- Witness accounts of me being threatened if I try to leave, even temporarily
I’m certain she will counter by trying to expose my anxiety-filled reactions and defenses, but please remember that reacting in panic by hurting myself is far different than what I’ve listed above.
The timing of these public attacks online is because I served her with divorce papers yesterday after many days of her pleading for me to stay while also flipping back and forth to attempting to exert abusive control.
This is blatantly a retaliation for me finally leaving a relationship I should have run from a long time ago.”
The volatile dynamics between Tim and Dany appear to have contributed to the mass exodus of Tim’s As I Lay Dying bandmates. Their exit statements hinted at conflicts over personal ethics and integrity, with many citing experiences within the band as a breaking point. The turmoil has even extended to Austrian Death Machine, another project of Tim’s.
This latest controversy adds to an already checkered history for Tim Lambesis. In 2013, he was convicted in a murder-for-hire plot in which he attempted to solicit an undercover officer to kill his then-wife. After serving roughly two years of a six-year sentence, he was paroled and has since remarried twice.
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