In 2012, a stage collapsed earlier than Radiohead‘s efficiency at Downsview Park in Toronto, killing the band’s drum technician, 33-year-old Scott Johnson. The Ontario Ministry of Labour brought charges towards promoter Live Nation, scaffolding firm Optex Staging and Services, and engineer Domenic Cugliari in 2013. The case was subsequently delayed multiple times for various reasons, and in September 2017, a judge stayed the charges, ruling that the case’s many delays had brought about it to take too lengthy to come back to trial, violating deadlines.
In November 2017, the chief coroner of Ontario announced that a new inquest into what caused Johnson’s death can be undertaken, nevertheless it didn’t say when. Now, over a 12 months after that announcement, the coroner’s workplace has revealed that the brand new investigation will start on March 25, 2019, the Canadian Press and The Globe and Mail report.
“Coroner’s counsel Prabhu Rajan said over the phone that he expects all parties, including Radiohead, Optex and Live Nation, to apply for standing – the right to ask questions of witnesses and make submissions directly to the jury, with respect to the nature and scope of its recommendations,” The Globe & Mail reviews. “The coroner’s inquest’s recommendations, however, are non-binding.”
Live Nation has denied any wrongdoing, saying in 2013, “We absolutely maintain that Live Nation and our employees did everything possible to ensure the safety of anyone who was on or near the stage involved in the tragic incident that led to the unfortunate death of Mr. Scott Johnson.”
The members of Radiohead have expressed outrage over the scenario a number of instances previously. This summer time, whereas on stage performing in Toronto for the primary time for the reason that stage collapse, Thom Yorke mentioned to the group, “The people who should be held accountable are still not being held accountable in your city. The silence is fucking deafening.” In an interview with the BBC this summer time, drummer Phil Selway mentioned, “It’s very frustrating. The court case broke down on a technicality,” Selway mentioned, referring to how the court docket case towards Live Nation and different events allegedly liable for the incident got here to a standstill final fall. “So there have been no real answers. Without the answers we can’t ensure that an accident like this can’t happen again.”
Radiohead devoted its newest album, 2016’s A Moon Shaped Pool, to Johnson’s reminiscence.
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