1993.07.16 - Argentine TV - Report and press conference (Axl)

Partial transcription and translation from Spanish (except for the quote from Axl which is in English):
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TV anchorwoman: Julio, this happened a few minutes ago, [the band] are already on their way, they are already at River.

Reporter: They are already at River, but they went through a big scare here, because in the afternoon there was a complaint filed against Guns N’ Roses for drug trafficking and possession. That shocked the musicians and, of course, the thousands of fans who had gathered here.  The complaint was filed by Juán Imbesi, a former member of the intelligence services, a man with a dubious past who was implicated – or at least accused of having been implicated – in the theft of Perón’s hands [from his grave], and yet the court proceeded with his complaint before judge Bonifatti. Judicial and police officers came here in three patrol cars and two assault cars with judge Ballesteros and court officials. How did Guns N’ Roses react when they saw the police? You were a witness. Did they try to escape? What did they do?

Witness: At first, the atmosphere was very tense […]. One of them – I don't know their names – reacted very intensely. He was very nervous, he ran away and they grabbed him in the kitchen, I don't know where he is.

Reporter: That was a witness to this judicial proceeding. But we were practically one of the few media outlets that managed to talk with judicial officials as well as with Axl Rose. So, if you agree, Mónica, we’ll get straight to the statements regarding the result of this investigation.

TV anchorwoman: Perfect.

[Cut to the press conference]

Daniel Grinbank (concert promoter): … brutality of this court order by judge Bonifatti, the federal judge. There are approximately 80 men of the federal police […]. Fortunately, they didn’t find anything on us. Speaking on behalf of the production, we want to stress that we’ve been very surprised at the promptness regarding these charges filed by Juán Imbesi, a man was arrested in 1984 for robbing buses and this past year, in 1992, there was an accusation in the same court about the theft of Perón's hands. And we understand that it is not logical, although we believe in equality before the law. It seems to us that this complaint had a quite particular seriousness in this case and we clearly understand if this is just a violation on a personal capacity […]

Journalist: What we want to know is what the accusation was specifically, what the accusation was, and what is the response from the main interested party, the people who have been accused?

Grinbank: The accusation was possession of drugs.

[The interpreter translates to Axl]

Axl: I think it's a joke, and we’ll make it through it and try to do a good show tonight.

Journalist: Are you going to do the show (?)

Axl: Yes. And we love coming here (chuckles).

Journalist: The accusation was for consumption or for drug dealing?

Grinbank: No, not for dealing. For consumption and possession. [Asks the person sitting next to him]

Court official: Actually, let me introduce myself, I am Dr. (?), and today in the afternoon I’ve carried out the respective court order for the purposes of the legal framework. You know that this is being done on a provisional basis, because the evidence is limited […]

Grinbank: I want to clarify that when he mentioned article 14, he wasn’t referring to that of the constitution that guarantees individual freedoms.

Journalist: (?)

Grinbank: Yes, the complaint apparently presented the issue as dealing, correct?

Court official: Yes.

Grinbank: Right. And what is the result?

Other court official: Negative. I don’t know of any items being confiscated. There was search for psychotropic substances and absolutely nothing was found. Everything was absolutely normal, both the items that were searched for and the individuals that were in the rooms at that moment, so the operation is deemed finished.