Crane operator acquitted in deaths

A Massapequa Park man was acquitted Thursday of manslaughter charges in connection with the collapse of a New York City crane in 2008 that killed seven people, including three construction workers from Long Island.

After a nearly monthlong trial, State Supreme Court Judge Roger Hayes in Manhattan acquitted William Rapetti, 49, of Rapetti Rigging Services Inc., of the seven manslaughter counts in a case that held him solely responsible for the accident.

Santino "Santy" Gallone, 37, of Huntington Station, Clifford Canzona, 45, of Seaford and Brad Cohen, 54, of Farmingdale were among six construction workers - along with a Florida tourist - who died when the crane toppled March 15, 2008, over a luxury building under construction near the United Nations.

Rapetti declined to speak after the verdict, but his attorney said it validated their position that the prosecution did not have a case against him.

"This is a solemn day and while there are no winners in a tragedy like this, we do feel vindicated," Rapetti's lawyer, Arthur Aidala, said in a statement.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. said in a statement that prosecutors were "extremely disappointed" by the court's verdict. "At this time our thoughts go out to the seven victims' families, whose lives were devastated by this tragic incident," Vance said.

The families of Gallone and Cohen did not return phone calls seeking comment. But one family was happy with Rapetti's acquittal.

"The verdict has put a big smile on my face," said Nile Canzona, 85, of East Northport, whose son, Clifford Canzona, died in the accident. "The city tried to make Billy [Rapetti] a scapegoat, but no one person can be blamed."

Canzona said her son had been a longtime friend of Rapetti, and her family had never blamed him for the collapse.

The accident, which was followed two months later by a second New York City crane collapse that killed two people, led to new crane safety measures in the city and around the country. It also led to the resignation of the city's building commissioner.

Prosecutors argued Rapetti acted recklessly and did not secure the crane correctly, attributing its collapse to the snapping of heavy-duty polyester straps used to temporarily fasten a steel collar around the crane. The crane manufacturer called for eight straps for the job, but Rapetti used four, one of which was worn, prosecutors said.

Aidala argued Rapetti, himself injured in the accident, followed accepted guidelines in using the straps. The straps weren't to blame, he said, attributing the collapse instead to welding and problems with the metal beams.

Three other construction workers - Wayne Bleidner, 51, Anthony Mazza, 29, and Aaron Stephens, 45 - and tourist Odin Torres, 28, of Hialeah, Fla., were killed in the accident. With AP