Crane owner's manslaughter trial begins

One man's greed cost two men's lives, prosecutors said in opening statements today in the manslaughter trial of millionaire crane magnate James Lomma, blamed in the 2008 tower crane collapse on E. 91st St.

As families for the tragedy's two slain workers watched in tears from the crowded audience, prosecutors called Lomma an already-rich construction renegade who cut corners and dodged regulators on a critical repair so he could further grow his wealth.

"They were killed because a wealthy man was concerned about the bottom line and nothing else," assistant district attorney Eli Cherkasky told the judge who will decide Lomma's case.

"If he knew ahead of time that the crane could collapse, that's as good as going in there and doing it himself," Uka Kurtaj said angrily after the prosecution openings, speaking of his son, Ramadan, who was only 27 when the massive crane's cab and boom plummeted onto him from 140 feet up.

The second worker, crane operator Donald Leo, 30, died trapped inside the cab when it crashed to the ground.

Prosecutors told Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Daniel Convisor that Lomma broke every rule the city Department of Buildings gave him for repairing the critical, ring-shaped metal bearing that allows the boom and cab to pivot atop the crane tower.

Lomma, head of New York Crane & Equipment Corp., was informed in writing -- and knew from experience -- that he had to let the DOB preview his repair plans and thoroughly inspect the completed repair, the prosecutor said. He also knew the repair had to be done by a New York City-certified welder and be signed off on by a licensed engineer.

Instead, Lomma used a cut-rate Chinese manufacturing firm that had been found online by his mechanic, who the prosecutor described as "A Hungarian immigrant with an eighth grade education."

The DOB never issued a written approval of the repair, said the prosecutor, hinting that the one official who did make a perfunctory inspection was a crony who wanted Lomma to hire him.

An opening statement on Lomma's behalf is scheduled for this afternoon. Lomma faces a maximum sentence of up to 15 years prison if convicted. He has insisted that the tragedy was an accident, not a crime, and has hinted that the collapse wasn't caused by the cheap repair, but instead by on-site corner-cutting by subcontractors, including Leo himself.

Source: New York Post