19.02.2012

Lomma waives right to a jury

Jimmy Lomma, owner of New York Crane/J.F. Lomma Crane has formally waived his right to a trial by jury, opting instead for a trial presided over by Manhattan supreme court justice Daniel Convisor. The trial is scheduled to get underway tomorrow - February 21st.

Lomma is on trial for the fatal collapse of a Kodiak tower crane due to an inferior weld on the crane's slew ring mounting plate. He is accused of having violated city regulations in failing to employ an engineer to oversee the repairs and failing to hire a certified welding company to do the work.

The charges include: second-degree manslaughter, second-degree assault, criminally negligent homicide and second-degree reckless endangerment. If found guilty he is likely to face a long prison sentence.

Lomma has insisted all along that he is innocent however his head mechanic Tibor Varganyi, who was charged along with him, changed his plea to one of guilty of criminally negligent homicide and agreed to testify against Lomma.
Click here to see ‘waters muddied in New York crane trial
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The scene in 2008