Philadelphia Architect Faces Federal Court Hearing Related To Deadly Building Collapse
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A hearing over subpoenaed records in the fatal Market Street building collapse this spring was postponed Wednesday, but a Philadelphia architect at the center of it is facing even more requests for documents.
The U.S. Department of Labor is asking a federal judge for an order compelling Plato Marinakos to release documents relevant to OSHA's investigation of the workplace accident.
He reportedly will be invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in refusing to turn over correspondence, including emails, blueprints, surveys and photographs tied to the demolition work.
A Philadelphia grand jury investigation is underway. The excavator operator faces criminal charges and several personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits have been initiated.
Attorney Robert Mongeluzzi, whose firm is representing several victims, is requesting similar documents from Marinakos. He suggests the information between the architect and owner could be revealing.:
"There's going to be a devastating electronic trail between the owner, the architect and the salvation army, that all three of them knew a catastrophe was about to occur," he said.
Six people died and more than a dozen were injured in the June 5th Salvation Army building collapse.
