Music
Charges laid on the one-year anniversary of Radiohead stage collapse in Toronto
by Tyler Munro
June 14, 2013
photo via CBC
This Sunday makes one year since the unfortunate stage collapse that killed Radiohead’s drum tech Scott Johnson, but both his family and the band can maybe find some closure now that formal charges have been laid following the incident.
According to the Toronto Star late last week, 13 charges have been put on Live Nation, Optex Staging Services & Services Inc and an Ontario-based engineer.
The case goes to trial on June 27th, but seems like it’ll be anything but smooth.
“We will vigorously defend ourselves and we are confident that through this process the facts will come to light and we will be exonerated,” said Live Nation in a statement.
They face eight charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and could be faced fines of $500,000 per charge, running a $4 million total if you’re keeping track. By all accounts, pocket change for a company whose worth is estimated in the billions.
The engineer charged in the incident, who we won’t name (but feel free to see it at the Star), could face either one year in prison or $25,000. He’s charged with endangering a worker, in this case Johnson, who was making last minute checks before the Downsview Park concert was about to open to the ticket-holding public.
Happening in the heat of North by Northeast 2012’s busy Saturday schedule, the cancellation resulted in thousands of fans making the cross-city trek to Toronto’s Yonge Dundas Square, where the Flaming Lips would perform to an even bigger crowd than anticipated among rumours of a special appearance by the Radiohead dudes themselves. That didn’t happen, but Wayne Coyne did roll around in that little ball of his, so there’s that.
