Ex-As I Lay Dying frontman Tim Lambesis recently spoke up for the first time since his arrest in a murder-for-hire plot, but former bandmate (and now Wovenwar guitarist) Nick Hipa made a direct statement sticking up for Meggan Lambesis, the estranged wife and subject of the criminal activity.
Last Friday I sat in a courtroom to support a friend. For the better part of a decade our professional and personal lives were woven in a relationship akin to family. As if family, the intention of my attendance was to publicly acknowledge the deep care and compassion I hold for this individual.
I watched as she searched for the strength to behold her transgressor for the first time in over a year since learning of his plot to have her murdered. I listened to her describe the love she once possessed for this man whom she adored, trusted, and depended on as her husband. I followed along as she detailed his abandonment of her and her children; a betrayal he failed to own but opted to blame on a lost sense of morality. This excuse became further excused by a defense that drug abuse had clouded his judgement.
She attempted to rebuild a life with three young children apart from a man who viewed them as disposable. The strength and resilience of these children—whom she saved from abandonment, poverty, and certain early death—were being further challenged by this domestic unravelling. Her desire was to give them love and stability, his response was to have her executed.
Hipa had the following to say about the interview that AP did last week:
I share this in response to an interview between Tim Lambesis and Ryan J. Downey that was released on AltPress.com moments after this women and her family were given their closure. Behind the facade of a penitent man with renewed outlook, restored faith, and apparent remorse is a fairly appalling agenda to further damage the lives and reputations of his non-supporters. It is the continued defense of behavior that leveled every facet of an innocent woman’s being and traumatized children who have already persevered through the actual pain of an orphan’s life.
As far as the band talking to Lambesis about what was going on, Hipa said they did many times:
There is no contrition in his pseudo-philosophical jargon, and the verbalized assessment of his relationship with myself and former bandmates is absolute slander. I had spoken with him directly and in length of how 100% of my heart, love, and loyalty was being directed in support towards his victims. These victims being people I had opened my heart to as family for many years and whom I pray will find healing from his deep abuse. In complete disregard for the truth as I’m certain he understands it, he opted to fabricate motives that describe us abandoning him as a callous business decision.
The intent of his defamation is to create an air of sympathy and support under the false pretense of a forthcoming tell-all. Unfortunately this has worked to a degree, as many strangers have put effort into projecting hatred towards those of us who chose to defend the guiltless subjects of his crimes.
For Jordan, Phil, Josh, and myself, we’ll continue to carry on knowing we behaved honorably, lovingly, and loyally to the individuals who truly needed it.”
Read Hipa’s full statement here.
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