25.11.2008

Crane operator sues

The operator of the tower crane that collapsed in Bellevue, Seattle in 2006 is suing a local newspaper for defamation. Click here to see original report

Warren Yeakey, 36, has sued the Seattle P-I, part of the Hearst publishing empire, saying the paper defamed him by printing details of his criminal history. In court documents, Yeakey says the paper wrongly intimated that his arrests and convictions somehow contributed to the collapse.

His lawyer, Matt Renda, said: "He felt like he was vilified falsely, the story created an incorrect or false implication that operator error ... was a contributing factor to the downing of the crane and the death of Matthew Ammond."

The state Department of Labor and Industries determined that a flaw in the design of the crane's foundation caused the collapse. A drug test taken the day after the accident cleared Yeakey of any drug use

Yeakey has requested monetary damages to be determined at trial.

Vertikal Comment

The local newspaper and several websites did jump on the fact that Yeakey had a ‘past’ and dragged up every negative aspect of his life that it could. And yet it was fairly obvious from the start that this was not a case of operator error.

The sort of personal vitriol that was published would suggest that Yeakey has a strong case. I wonder if the paper has publicly apologised?