Contractor Indicted In NYC Crane Collapse

(AP)  A contractor has been indicted on homicide charges in a crane collapse in midtown Manhattan that killed seven people last year, the district attorney said Monday.

The contractor, William Rapetti, was in custody Monday morning. He was indicted on homicide and other charges in connection with the March accident, District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said.

In September, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Rapetti Rigging Services Inc. for improperly using slings recommended by the manufacturer to stabilize the crane.

In an e-mail to The Associated Press, defense attorney Arthur Aidala said Rapetti is innocent and "has agreed to offer his full assistance and expertise in helping to determine the actual cause or causes of the crane collapse that day."

The 19-story tower crane broke away from a luxury apartment building under construction and fell like a tree across other buildings as far as a block away.

A brownstone town house was demolished, and some residents later said they had been fearful that the crane was unstable.

A city construction site inspector was later charged with falsely claiming he had inspected the crane 11 days before the mishap.

The accident was one in a wave of fatal construction mishaps in the city. On May 30, another tower crane broke apart and fell on an apartment building, killing two workers. Other crane operations were suspended temporarily.

[rrozsa-2009]

The contractor is charged with murder for an ACCIDENT?....why hasn''''t Bush been brought up on murder charges for 911?...it was no accident,,,and Muslim terrorists didn''''t do it,,,I don''''t think they have any cruise missiles like the one that hit the pentagon,,,those would be US Military...and GW is commander in chief,,,,so he should face murder charges.

----------------Posted by tincup356 at 07:05 PM : Jan 05, 2009
=============================

How does this story tie in to your conspiracy theory about 9/11? I think you''re just looking for any opportunity to spew your paranoid rantings. We''ve all already seen the so-called evidence to support the 9/11 conspiracy theories.

There are medications that can help you!

[hatesthecolt]

''''m surprised the American people haven''''t started marching on the capitol.

Posted by tincup356

They aren''t marching because they aren''t as paranoid as you. Not all government employees are useless. Like in any other environment there are good and bad government employees. Don''t tar them all with the same brush.

[tincup356]

This is just like any government project,,,they pay outrageous wages to inspectors....who do not inspect or hold anything to codes,,,,all the way from local ,state, and federal governments,,,,,,just like every department of government is mismanaged in every aspect.A perfect example of how unorganized and mismanaged Washington is......look at the bailout and ALL the reasons leading up to this crisis,,,,,our government either directly had a hand in it or the lack of doing their jobs all together.....I''m surprised the American people haven''t started marching on the capitol.

[tincup356]

The contractor is charged with murder for an ACCIDENT?....why hasn''t Bush been brought up on murder charges for 911?...it was no accident,,,and Muslim terrorists didn''t do it,,,I don''t think they have any cruise missiles like the one that hit the pentagon,,,those would be US Military...and GW is commander in chief,,,,so he should face murder charges.

[gramto8]

The contractor should not face charges. If the city inspector had done his job this could have been avoided. If the inspectors boss would have done his job this could have been avoided. If anyone from the city from the inspector up to the mayor would have done their job then this would not have happened. A supervisor should know what their subordinates are doing. That goes for the mayor too. Fire the inspector and anyone above him, again including the mayor.

Posted by cbscrash072 at 06:24 PM : Jan 05, 2009

I''d be willing to bet this wasn''t this contractor''s first job. Even if it was, he should have known what the specs were for using a crane. Therefore, first an foremost, the contractor is at fault and should be held responsible.

[cbscrash072]

The contractor should not face charges. If the city inspector had done his job this could have been avoided. If the inspectors boss would have done his job this could have been avoided. If anyone from the city from the inspector up to the mayor would have done their job then this would not have happened. A supervisor should know what their subordinates are doing. That goes for the mayor too. Fire the inspector and anyone above him, again including the mayor.

[jamster31]

Jamesster31 Sounds like you, d cheney, rove and gonzalez hund around each other too long with the "collateral damage" expression.
Bdut what you said is fact, bribes, corruption (gw bush) and collateral (d.cheney) damage (rove and gonzalez) run hand and hand. Frank


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by arnoldbowers at 01:41 PM : Jan 05, 2009
+ report


..................... Actually i just built a home...What a nightmare. I hate lazy contractors.

[rrozsa-2009]

doesn''''t homicide require intent to kill? I would think that man-slaughter would fit this case better.


--------------Posted by pat1967 at 03:20 PM : Jan 05, 2009
======================================

It may come down to whether they can prove "depraved indifference" towards human life. That phrase seems to be popping up a lot now, instead of "intent".

[pat1967-2009]

doesn''t homicide require intent to kill? I would think that man-slaughter would fit this case better.

[clathrate]

Homicide? The contractor made a mistake, the inspector should be charged with homicide. His job is to find mistakes...that will undoubtedly lead to injury or death.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by markavelli2

It''s not a mistake. Anyone running that kind of business for any length of time knows full well how to properly anchor a crane. This guy decided to half-azz it, that''s the crime.

People like you would like to have all of us buy the whole "zero personal responsibility" culture of the ghetto rats and other members of the victimization cult. Not gonna work this time rat.