Radiohead Stage Collapse Revisited

The government of Ontario, Canada, has called for an inquest into the death of Radiohead’s drum technician Scott Johnson, who died in a stage collapse at Toronto’s Downsview Park, June 16, 2012.

AP Photo – Stage Tragedy
Collapsed stage at the site for a Radiohead concert at Downsview Park in Toronto.

The case dragged on for more than five years before justice Ann Nelson of Ontario’s Superior Court decided to halt all trial proceedings in September because of “unreasonable delays.”

“I didn’t worry that we wouldn’t get justice, and I feel so let down by Canada,“ Scott Johnson’s mother Sue told CBC’s Katie Nicholson, who revisited the case after Ontario’s Nov. 30 call for a reexamination.

Live Nation had hired local staging company Optex for the Toronto concert, which in turn contracted engineer Domenic Cugliari to draw the plans for the stage. Radiohead drummer Phil Selway told CBC, “Somewhere in that triangle accountability lies.”

Radiohead’s insurance company has brought forensic engineer Doug Perovic on board, who explained that the stage was a multipoint-loaded temporary structure.

“When you look at the available existing codes and standards in Canada, there isn’t actually one that relates specifically for temporary structures of that type,“ Perovic said.

Engineers usually build structures in such a way as to carry a lot more than the required weight. According to Perovic this begged the question: “Was the structure built the same as what was intended in the design specifications?”

Ontario’s Ministry of Labor conducted a yearlong investigation into the collapse but never made its findings public. CBC filed a freedom of information request for the documents but hasn’t yet received any. The station also spoke to production manager Richard Young, who remembered the Radiohead crew having some reservations about the June 16 show.

“There was definitely a feeling, a conversation about, ‘Oh, this technology is old, this equipment’s old. You know, it’s been a long time since we’ve played on this kind of stage,’“ he said, adding, “We’re not expected to work in dangerous situations. There are some careers out there, where you put yourself in harm’s way. The entertainment industry shouldn’t be putting anybody in harm’s way.”

Visibly shaken, Selway added, “When the collapse happened, it happened at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Our soundcheck was due to start at 4 o’clock. And I actually should have been where Scott was. That is an incredible weight and, personally, I can’t let this lie.”

Before the trial was suspended in September, Live Nation, Optex and Cugliari had been charged with 13 offenses under Ontario’s occupational health and safely laws.

All three defendants pleaded not guilty. Their initial attempts to end the trial because of its delay were dismissed.

With three days left in the trial the presiding judge Shaun Nakatsuru was appointed to federal court. He decided he no longer had jurisdiction and declared a mistrial. Judge Ann Nelson replaced him.

Nelson decided to drop the case under the so-called Jordan ruling, which is in place to ensure speedy trials, thereby granting the defendants’ wish. Her decision meant that all 13 charges against the defendants were stayed.

“They seem to have forgotten Scott. It’s almost as if they’ve tried the best to delay and delay, to try and get themselves off with these charges. But they seem to forget that Scott lost his life, because somebody made a mistake, “ Johnson’s mother told CBC.

Selway said, “We expect justice to be done. You expect a court case to find out what happened, for anybody who has any culpability in it to accept responsibility, and out of all of that you expect measures to be taken. “

Radiohead released the following statement: “Five years on from the Downsview Park Stage Collapse, we have learned that an inquest into Scott Johnson’s death will be formally announced later today.

“While this is welcomed, it does not bring those responsible for Scott’s death to account, and it provides no justice for Scott and his family. We urge the Canadian authorities to look more closely into their treatment of the Downsview Stage Collapse and indeed all workplace deaths to ensure that accidents such as this can be prevented in the future.”