LAMB OF GOD's RANDY BLYTHE: 'It's The Right Thing For Me To Do And Stand Trial If Called'

LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe was released from a prison in Prague, the Czech Republic, on August 2, more than a month after he was arrested and incarcerated on charges of alleged manslaughter. Blythe was facing the possibility of conviction and a long-term jail sentence after a 2010 incident in which a fan attending a LAMB OF GOD show died almost a month later, allegedly from injuries sustained when he was thrown off the stage. Blythe's predicament galvanized the heavy rock community, with artists across the hard rock genre pledging their support.

Speaking to Greg Prato of RollingStone.com, Blythe stated about the support that he received back home during his stint in prison, "It's pretty humbling for me to see this level of support. I knew my good friends in the music industry would stand by me, but a bunch of legends really spoke up for me. Ozzy and Sharon wrote a letter to the judge. It's really overwhelming, because to think someone like Ozzy Osbourne, who was in BLACK SABBATH, which is kind of the reason why I have a job today, even knows that I exist — much less say something on my behalf — is extremely humbling."

Asked if there is any chance that the case will be settled out of court, Blythe said, "There is a chance of that. It's not definite. The Czech legal system works differently. From what I understand, the police have charged me, but the prosecuting attorney hasn't yet. There's different stages to being charged, just like there's different stages of bail. From what I understand, it could get settled out of court, but I doubt it will, especially with the kind of intensity that the prosecuting attorney pursued my continual incarceration with. If I'm called to return to Prague, I will."

Regarding whether he has any trepidation about going back to the Czech Republic and standing trial, Blythe said, "They want to give me five to 10 years, so naturally, there's some trepidation. But the way I feel about possibly going to prison for five to 10 years really has nothing to do with the fact of the matter that it's the right thing for me to do. It's the right thing for me to do and stand trial if called — if only from the ethical viewpoint that this young man's family is sitting there with a lot of questions still."