NYC Buildings Department Inspector Charged With Lying in Wake of Crane Collapse

By Aaron Poehler

Published on March 20, 2008

The commissioner of the city’s Department of Investigation, Rose Gill Hearn, announced the arrest today and stated that on March 4, Marquette indicated that he had inspected the crane in response to a report of possible problems with the crane’s stability. According to a court filing by the Manhattan district attorney, Marquette later admitted to investigators that he in fact did not perform the inspection.

Patricia J. Lancaster, the commissioner of the city’s Department of Buildings, stated she had requested the Department of Investigation perform a full audit of Marquette’s inspection reports, and that all of Marquette’s inspections from the last six months would be reinspected.

Lancaster said, however, that the crane collapse likely did not result from Marquette’s failure to perform the inspection, as the crane had been legitimately inspected the day before the March 15 accident and no violations were found.

Marquette faces one count of falsifying business records and one count of offering a false instrument for filing. Both charges are felonies that carry a maximum penalty of up to four years in prison.

Marquette declined to enter a plea or make any statements regarding his arrest, and was released until April 10, the date of his next scheduled court appearance.

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