Manhattan, NY – A construction crane owner was found not guilty in the only criminal trial surrounding a 2008 collapse that killed two workers in New York City.
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A Manhattan judge announced his decision Thursday in James Lomma’s manslaughter case. Lomma chose not to have a jury.
Prosecutors said the 200-foot-tall crane fell because Lomma got a bargain-basement repair on a crucial component.
Lomma’s lawyers say he got the part fixed responsibly. They say the operator’s moves destabilized the crane.
The operator and a worker on the ground were killed.
Their deaths came two months after another crane collapsed and killed seven people elsewhere in Manhattan. The incidents spurred new safety measures.
Another crane collapsed in Manhattan and killed a worker this month.