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Ontario coroner to hold inquest into Scott Johnson's death
Ontario's chief coroner is to hold an inquest into the death of Scott Johnson, Radiohead's drum technician, who was killed when the stage collapsed at Downsview Park in Toronto on 16 June 2012, the afternoon of a show that never took place. CBC News reported it last night, and the coroner announces it formally today. Phil Selway told CBC how close it came to being him. 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.
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Things were running a little late, and the band were a short distance from the stage. Selway heard what sounded like a huge cabinet of glasses falling over, and from behind he could see the top of the structure had buckled.
This morning the band posted a statement welcoming the inquest, with a reservation. 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.
2 An inquest's findings are not binding, though its recommendations can be used to stop it happening again. The band urged the Canadian authorities to look again at how they handled the collapse, and at how they deal with deaths at work. The Ontario Ministry of Labour has not published what it found in a year of investigating, and Canada has no national standards for temporary structures.
The court case ended in September, when a judge stayed every charge for unreasonable delay. The stay left Selway appalled and angry. He feels responsible to Johnson's parents. 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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Radiohead's management had pressed Ontario officials for an inquest, and with Johnson's parents met British MPs, who wrote to the Canadian High Commission. Ed Miliband, MP for Doncaster, Johnson's home constituency, urged that every possible pressure be brought to bear.
Johnson was the only child of Ken and Sue Johnson, of South Yorkshire. Ken, a scaffolder, welcomes the inquest but would rather see the case reopened. Sue wants to know who made mistakes, and what they were, so that it cannot happen to anyone else.