New Orleans city councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer wants the contractors and developers of the Hard Rock Hotel to face criminal charges for the death of three workers when the construction site collapsed in 2019.
As WWLTV reports, councilmember Palmer is calling on District Attorney Jason Williams to file criminal charges against those responsible for the collapse which killed Jose Ponce Arreola, Anthony Magrette, and Quinnyon Wimberly.
“Our District Attorney can make a strong statement that he is on the side of the workers of New Orleans by not allowing the people responsible for killing Jose, Anthony, and Quinnyon to walk away scot-free,” Palmer said. “What does it say to our residents about the values of their lives if no one else in our city government is calling for justice and accountability.”
Angela Magrette who’s twin brother was one of the three killed in the collapse says, “We need all elected officials in New Orleans to join us in demanding that these men are held accountable for their actions.”
Magrette adds, “My brother lost his life because these wealthy companies were breaking the law to make money. We are devastated, and our lives will never be the same.
The least we can ask for is that the DA does his job and makes sure these men are tried for their crimes.”
The building contractors also face Occupational Safety and Health Administration violations.
The cause of the collapse is still under investigation.
On Thursday, the New Orleans City Council unanimously voted to pass legislation, which revokes the developers’ conditional use permit according to WWLTV.
Prior to the council’s vote, WWLTV obtained a letter the developers sent to councilmembers urging them to vote against Palmer’s legislation.
Dear Councilmembers,
I strongly urge you all to vote for deferral on zoning docket number 29/31- City Council motion M-21-69. I understand there is a host of misinformation surrounding this issue, so I wanted you to hear the facts directly from me.
The two most certain ways to kill a project are to devalue its feasibility or to add the risk of extended delays. Losing the ability to build to a height of 190’ at 1031 Canal Street will extend this project’s timeline indefinitely or end the deal outright. Revoking the 190’ height will irreparably harm the Hard Rock deal.
Our goal is to build in the same confines of our original ordinance, with a new contractor and a world-renowned engineering team. Our goal is not to add additional land sites to the project (“red zone” sites). We want to re-build as expeditiously and safely as possible, within the confines of the conditional use, lest the deal completely falls through.
The local hospitality market is facing the most grave challenges due to the global pandemic. Projects have been cancelled or shuttered across the City. I respectfully request you to vote to defer this motion.
It benefits no one to put this site in an indefinite limbo, killing a project with an international brand which would annually generate millions of dollars of tax revenue for the city and create hundreds of jobs.
Respectfully,
Mohan Kailas
1031 Canal Development, LLC
