β€œExpediter” in Deadly Collapse Due in Court

A Philadelphia architect fighting a subpoena to turn over documents in a fatal building collapse is due in court Wednesday.

Plato Marinakos has been asked to turn over his demolition plan, photographs and related correspondence to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

His lawyer has refused to release some of the documents, citing Marinakos' Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, saying he "reasonably" fears a pending grand jury investigation.

A Philadelphia grand jury investigation is underway in the June 5 collapse, which killed six people inside an adjacent thrift store and left 13 other injured, some critically.

Demolition subcontractor Sean Benschop, a.k.a. Kary Roberts, is the only person charged so far. He is facing six counts of involuntary manslaughter. Several civil lawsuits have also been filed.

Benschop was never named on the demolition permit. It was issued to Marinakos, an β€œexpediter” working for developer Richard Basciano.

Marinakos has turned over 116 pages of material, but says the rest is protected.

Attorney Robert Mongeluzzi, who represents some victims of the collapse applauded the government trying to get more documents from Marinokas.

"We support the government's position that Mr Marinakos should be compelled to turn over the documents related to this deadly collapse," Mongeluzzi said in a statement. "The production of documents is not protected by the Fifth Amendment, and neither Mr Marinakos, nor any other person or company, should be permitted to hide their documents from disclosure."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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