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No charges in 2019 building collapse, grand jury rules

By: The Associated Press//October 11, 2023//

Remnants of an unfinished Hard Rock Hotel building in New Orleans, shown in October 2019, were eventually demolished. A grand jury chose not to indict anyone in the 2019 building collapse. (Gerald Herbert/AP file)

No charges in 2019 building collapse, grand jury rules

The Associated Press//October 11, 2023//

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The collapse of the building on Oct. 12, 2019, killed three men, injured others, damaged nearby property and led to the closure of Canal Street for more than a year.

NEW ORLEANS 鈥 A grand jury in Louisiana has decided against indicting anyone in the聽deadly collapse聽four years ago of a Hard Rock Hotel that was under construction in New Orleans.

The panel, which heard evidence in the case over several months, met once more on Thursday. It was the last chance to file criminal charges before a four-year window closed to pursue gross negligence charges under state law.

Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams decided to have the panel hear testimony and vote on potential charges, rather than directly filing them, and it returned a 鈥渘o true bill鈥 verdict, meaning at least nine jurors did not find sufficient evidence to establish criminal liability.

The grand jury did not hear enough evidence to meet the threshold for a criminal case, according to Williams.

鈥淯nfortunately, criminal negligence carries a much higher burden than civil negligence, and upon deliberating, the jurors decided there simply wasn鈥檛 enough certainty to proceed,鈥 he stated.

Williams鈥 office also expressed frustration at the grand jury鈥檚 decision, calling it 鈥渁 disheartening day.鈥

鈥淥ur entire team … is frustrated with this outcome,鈥 the group stated. 鈥淥ur thoughts and prayers continue to be with (the families) as they continue their healing from such an emotionally taxing process.鈥

The collapse of the building on Oct. 12, 2019, killed three men 鈥 36-year-old Quinnyon Wimberly, 49-year-old Anthony Floyd Magrette and 63-year-old Jose Ponce Arreola 鈥 injured others, damaged nearby property and led to the closure of Canal Street for more than a year.

Following the grand jury鈥檚 decision, 聽that the legal system is cruel and they remain without closure after four years of waiting.

Angela Magrette, the victim鈥檚 twin, said the family will continue clamoring for justice.

鈥淭here鈥檚 no way another building鈥檚 not going to fall, because nobody was held accountable,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to happen again.鈥



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