Randy Blythe Supporters to Hold Vigil in Front of U.S. Supreme Court

While Lamb of God singer Randy Blythe remains in a Czech prison, facing manslaughter charges stemming from an incident where a fan died after an alleged onstage altercation with Blythe in May 2010, his hometown supporters in Richmond, Va. continue to do their part for him. Friends of Blythe are staging a vigil out front of the Supreme Court of the United States in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, July 22 from 1PM to 3PM ET.

Blythe next appears in court this Thursday (July 19), where a panel of three judges will hear his case again. He posted the $200,000 bail amount yet remained imprisoned since the prosecutor has protested his release, which is how the Czech Republic's legal system works. Such actions are considered typical.

Jonathan Crane, a reporter at the English-language Prague Post, offered some clarity regarding the legality of the situation, saying, "Blythe has not been denied bail, but rather, the bail has been challenged by the state prosecutor. I know this seems strange — in most other countries, you post bail and then you're released. Bail in the Czech Republic is subject to appeal, which is what happened here."

The singer's friend Tommy Streat, who also organized last week's rally, told the Times Dispatch, "Hopefully, we'll be welcoming him home" after his Thursday court appointment. However, if his friend remains detained, their work to raise awareness about his situation will continue in full effect. He said, "But if not, we'll be sending the message that will support him."

Streat also stated that his efforts are part of a larger goal to awaken a sleeping giant: the government. He said, "I'm hoping this will bring enough awareness so the federal government will do any and everything within its power to diplomatically bring Randy home while remaining on good terms with the Czech Republic."

He also acknowledged that fans are unaware of the key differences of the Czech legal system regarding bail posting and the prosecutorial protest, so they should refrain from making ignorant comments, which are being reported on by Czech news sources and could shed a bad light on Blythe's case. Streat said, "A lot of the Czech news sources are starting to pick up on that stuff, and it's getting nasty. There's no reason to bash another country. They have a different legal system from ours, but we have to respect that."

Other fans have shown their support. A Kentucky fan launched a petition asking President Obama to take steps to intervene and assist the singer. It has 40 percent of the required signatures to elicit a response; 25,000 signatures are needed within a 30-day period. It took just eight days to get 10,000 signatures.