TORONTO, Ontario (CelebrityAccess) — An Ontario coroner announced plans for a new inquest into the death of Radiohead drum tech Scott Johnson.
The inquiry is the latest fallout from the June 16, 2012, stage collapse that left Johnson, 33, dead and three others injured after overhead production equipment collapsed ahead of an outdoor concert by Radiohead at Toronto’s Downsview Park.
In September, Canada’s Supreme Court stayed charges against concert organizer Live Nation, engineer Domenic Cugliari and staging contractor Optex Staging and Service after ruling that extensive delays in bringing the case to trial had violated the rights of citizens for a fair trial.
All three defendants had pleaded not guilty.
Dr. Roger Skinner, Regional Supervising Coroner for Central Region, Toronto West Office, announced he was launching an inquest into Johnson’s death, citing a requirement of the Coroners Act that compels an investigation into the death of a worker on a construction project.
“The inquest will examine the events surrounding Mr. Johnson’s death. The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths,” a statement from Skinner’s office said.
Following the news of the inquest, Radiohead released a statement via social media:
“Five years on from the Downsview Park Stage Collapse, we have learned that an inquest into Scott’s [sic] 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.”
