Lawyer for accused singer: steroids had ill effect

Tim Lambesis, the lead singer for the Metal band As I Lay Dying, is escorted by a San Diego sheriff deputy into Superior Court for his arraignment Thursday on charges he allegedly attempted to hire a hit man to kill his wife in Vista, Calif. Lambesis was charged late Wednesday with one felony count of solicitation of murder, San Diego County district attorney spokeswoman Tanya Sierra said.

VISTA, Calif. — The lawyer for a California heavy metal singer accused of trying to hire someone to kill his estranged wife says the singer’s mind has been ravaged by steroid use.

U-T San Diego (http://bit.ly/16EWVKZ) reports that the detail came to light during a Friday hearing for 32-year-old Timothy Lambesis, who has pleaded not guilty to solicitation for murder. A judge at the hearing reduced Lambesis’ bail from $3 million to $2 million.

Prosecutors say Lambesis, frontman for Grammy-winning band “As I Lay Dying,” paid $1,000 cash to an undercover detective posing as a hitman and gave instructions on how best to kill his wife.

Lambesis’ attorney Thomas Warwick said in court that his client had gotten into body building and steroid use. He said Lambesis’ thoughts were “devastatingly affected” by the drugs.