There’s been a development in the Radiohead stage collapse case

Their drum tech Scott Johnson was killed by a falling stage in Toronto in 2012

A new investigation into the Radiohead stage collapse case will reportedly begin in March next year.

The band’s drum technician Scott Johnson died in June 2012 after a stage roof collapsed on him ahead of a concert at Toronto’s Downsview Park. The 33-year-old from Doncaster had also worked with Keane and many other touring artists. Three other people were also injured in the Downsview stage collapse.

In 2013, Ontario’s Ministry of Labour brought legal charges against Live Nation, scaffolding company Optex Staging and Services, and engineer Domenic Cugliari under the province’s Occupational Health and Safety Act. Live Nation denied any wrongdoing in the proceedings.

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Last September, the trial was brought to a standstill after the judge ‘stayed’ the trial, meaning that no charges would be brought forward. Responding to the news, Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke responded with “words utterly fail me.”

However, in November 2017, Ontario’s chief coroner reportedly agreed to hold an inquest into the stage collapse and Johnson’s death. However, a date for the inquest was not announced.

According to the Canadian Press and The Globe and Mail, it’s now been revealed that the new investigation will begin on March 25, 2019.

Coroner’s counsel Prabhu Rajan reportedly told The Globe and Mail that he expects all parties, including Radiohead, Optex and Live Nation, to apply for standing.

Speaking of Johnson’s death last year, Radiohead’s Phil Selway said: “When the collapse happened, it happened at four in the afternoon. Our soundcheck was due to start at four and I actually should have been where Scott was. That is an incredible weight, and personally I can’t let this lie. I want to see a proper conclusion, something that is respectful to Scott.”

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