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Details Emerge on NYU Student's Death on Film Set
By
Jen Carlson
Published Apr 8, 2010
Modified Apr 8, 2010
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Apr 8, 2010
Modified Apr 8, 2010
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With litigation pending, NYU has been keeping mum regarding the death of student John Hunt Lamensdorf, who died on set last May while helping with another student's film project. The university has also been urging others not to talk about the incident publicly, but now the Village Voice has a lengthy account of what happened on the Georgia set, directly from someone who was there: Jason Welin.
Welin was hired for $350, and was at the controls of the aerial lift that hit power lines which caused a powerful explosion resulting in Lamensdorf's electrocution. He described the events, noting that Lamensdorf was setting up a 1,000 watt light on the other side of the dilapidated house they were filming at when Welin made contact with the wires above the lift, causing Lamensdorf's electrocution; "he was bleeding from his nose and mouth" when his friend Andres Cardona started CPR, and ultimately he died.
Now his parents are suing NYU, NES Rentals (for renting the lift "to inexperienced college students"), an NYU professor, Welin, Pen Pals Productions, the producers of the film, and classmates who were on the shoot, including Cardona, who tried to save their son. Welin's response? "That's great, that's just fucking great. I already feel bad enough that people are saying I have blood on my hands, and now to be sued? It really makes you feel like a piece of shit."
For their part, NYU has declined to discuss if they've added a dedicated safety course to the the curriculum. Tisch School of the Arts will be screening Lamensdorf's short film this Sunday, however, titled Only Criminals.
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filming
georgia
Jason Welin
John Hunt Lamensdorf
lawsuit
NYU
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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