David Cassidy in the News
Taped screams at pop concert inquest
June 18, 1974
TheTimes
A tape recording of young people screaming at a David Cassidy concert was played at an inquest yesterday. Listening to the 20-minute tape were Mr. and Mrs. Peter Whelan, whose daughter, Bernadette, aged 14, died after the concert at White City Stadium, London, last month.
Dr John Burton, the Hammersmith coroner gave a warning that the tare, was "rather disturbing" and that some people might wish to leave. To a background of the song "The Wombles of Wimbledon" girls could be heard shouting " Please get me out ", as loudspeaker appeals were made for the crowd to stop pushing forward. Dr Burton said 10,000 youngsters were crowded up against a barrier in the centre of the arena, with no means of getting out. It was a highly charged situation in an atmosphere of hysteria and fainting as tension built up to David Cassidy's appearance.
St John Ambulance workers dealt with 500 casualties, and 30 people were taken to hospital. Mr. Whelan, a packer, of Stockwell Park Road, south London, said his daughter went to the concert with friends, in perfectly good health. He next had a message that she was in Hammersmith Hospital. Dr Rufus Compton, a pathologist, said the girl died of traumatic asphyxia. Obstruction of respiration was mainly a result of compression of the body. Her brain 'had been damaged by cardiac arrest.
Mr. Melvin Bush, the concert promoter, said he chose White City because its arena could hold a big crowd. The gates were opened two hours early because massive queues had built up since early morning. Mr. Bush rejected suggestions that the arena was not properly marshaled. There were between 30 and 50 stewards among the crowd, he said. four times as many as were required by GLC regulations. Fainting had been anticipated, and the crowd reaction seemed normal from the stage when Mr Cassidy made big appearance.
The American star completed his programme, but did not give an encore, possibly so that he could get away from the stadium before the crowd came out. Mr. Tony Blickburn. the disc Jockey, of Cookham, Berkshire, said he introduced Mr. Cassidy after interrupting the concert to ask the crowd to stop pushing. Mr. Blackburn said he had given a warning: "There are people lying down in front here, and if you move forward any more you will kill somebody." The hysteria was not exceptional, but he had never seen so many youngsters removed from a concert on stretchers. At previous concerns he had attended, seating had been provided. The inquest was adjourned until today.
