The 2012 accident taking place before the rock band's concert in Toronto has caused the death of a drum technician named Scott Johnson and injuries to three other workers.
- Dec 21, 2018
AceShowbiz - An inquest into the death of Radiohead's drum technician after a stage collapsed at a gig in Canada will get underway on March 25, 2019.
Crew member Scott Johnson died in the accident before the band's gig at Downsview Park in Toronto in June 2012. Three other workers were injured.
Last year (2017), a judge stayed charges brought against the show's promoter, Live Nation, engineer Domenic Cugliari and contractor Optex Staging, citing a Canadian law protecting the right to a timely hearing. The case was originally ruled a mistrial when the presiding judge was promoted to the Ontario Superior Court.
A spokesperson for the Office of Ontario's Chief Coroner has now told local newspaper The Globe and Mail that an inquest will begin on March 25. The Coroner's counsel Prabhu Rajan told the publication that he expects Radiohead's members, the promoters, and contractors to ask questions of witnesses and make submissions to the inquest jury. The recommendations of the inquest will, however, be non-binding.
Johnson's father told The Globe and Mail that he would take "no satisfaction" in the inquest taking place, as he believes the facts of the case have already been established. However, he hopes for a change in Canadian law allowing cases like his son's to proceed unhindered.
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke condemned the ruling when he returned to perform in Toronto in July.
"We wanted to do a show in Toronto, the stage collapsed, killing one of our colleagues and friends," he told the audience at the city's Scotiabank Arena. "The people who should be held accountable are still not being held accountable in your city."
