Publication date: May 9, 2000
Dateline: Toronto ONT
ProQuest document ID: 384294422
Copyright: All material copyright Bell Globemedia Publishing Inc. or its licensors.
Author: Southworth, Natalie
Abstract:"My understanding is that the [ecstasy] drug, it causes something to happen to your jaw," Det. [Steve Correia] replied. "Having something in your mouth prevents teeth from grinding."
Full text:
Testimony about death of student Allan Ho to shed light on what goes on at dances
The first day of an inquest into last year's drug-related death of Allan Ho turned into "Rave 101" yesterday at Coroner's Court.
Lawyers inquired into the use of pacifiers, lollipops, glow sticks and designer drugs such as ecstasy, common at the all-night parties known as raves.
Their questions of witnesses ranged from how young people learn where the parties are, to the price of ecstasy, to what happens during body searches, to the kind of clothing worn by partygoers.
"They were wearing distinctive clothing. They were wearing oversized, brightly coloured clothes and large hats -- I'd say costumes," said Detective Steve Correia, who visited the rave after learning about Mr. Ho's condition. His comment provoked a few giggles in the courtroom.
The day's testimony made clear that more education is needed about the raging rave scene -- known for its emphasis on electronic music and energetic dancing -- that has swept across the city and the world.
Rave culture has received increasing attention lately with Police Chief Julian Fantino calling on Exhibition Place to ban raves after police arrested 47 people at two dance events. He recently invited Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to a rave to show him how the parties are "threatening the very fabric of Canadian life."
This week, Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman is expected to ask city council to ban raves from city property.
The inquest into Mr. Ho's death, which is scheduled to last two weeks, is intended to serve as an important and timely public-education vehicle.
Their questions of witnesses ranged from how young people learn where the parties are, to the price of ecstasy, to what happens during body searches, to the kind of clothing worn by partygoers.
"They were wearing distinctive clothing. They were wearing oversized, brightly coloured clothes and large hats -- I'd say costumes," said Detective Steve Correia, who visited the rave after learning about Mr. Ho's condition. His comment provoked a few giggles in the courtroom.
The day's testimony made clear that more education is needed about the raging rave scene -- known for its emphasis on electronic music and energetic dancing -- that has swept across the city and the world.
Rave culture has received increasing attention lately with Police Chief Julian Fantino calling on Exhibition Place to ban raves after police arrested 47 people at two dance events. He recently invited Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to a rave to show him how the parties are "threatening the very fabric of Canadian life."
This week, Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman is expected to ask city council to ban raves from city property.
The inquest into Mr. Ho's death, which is scheduled to last two weeks, is intended to serve as an important and timely public-education vehicle.
"We are going to examine in a broad sense these rave parties and the unquestionable evidence of drugs at theses parties," coroner's counsel Paul McDermott said in his opening statement.
"We don't call evidence to be a referendum of raves. We are not here to preach. . . . But it is important to see what is going on in society -- not to bury our heads in the sand," he said.
On Oct. 9, 1999, Mr. Ho, a 20-year-old student at Ryerson Polytechnic University, attended an all-night rave in an underground parking lot in a four-storey vacant industrial building at 501 Alliance Rd. He was one of about 3,500 people who paid $25 each to get in.
Henry Wong, who was at the rave with Mr. Ho, told the inquest he found his friend around 3:30 a.m. collapsed on the floor.
"He was by himself. His eyes were closed and he was moving his arms up and down," Mr. Wong said. "I kept yelling his name. One of the bouncers told me to take him outside. He said he was overdosing."
Mr. Wong testified that he held Mr. Ho's head and a security guard held his feet, and they carried him from the south end of the parking lot to the north end, where the only exit used in the event was located.
On Oct. 9, 1999, Mr. Ho, a 20-year-old student at Ryerson Polytechnic University, attended an all-night rave in an underground parking lot in a four-storey vacant industrial building at 501 Alliance Rd. He was one of about 3,500 people who paid $25 each to get in.
Henry Wong, who was at the rave with Mr. Ho, told the inquest he found his friend around 3:30 a.m. collapsed on the floor.
"He was by himself. His eyes were closed and he was moving his arms up and down," Mr. Wong said. "I kept yelling his name. One of the bouncers told me to take him outside. He said he was overdosing."
Mr. Wong testified that he held Mr. Ho's head and a security guard held his feet, and they carried him from the south end of the parking lot to the north end, where the only exit used in the event was located.
Minutes later, Mr. Wong was riding in the ambulance with his friend to Humber River Regional Hospital. Mr. Ho was pronounced dead a few hours later. A pathology report revealed he had ingested the hallucinogenic drug ecstasy.
During the testimony, Mr. Ho's mother, seated alone in the back row, dabbed her eyes with a cream-coloured handkerchief underneath her sunglasses.
She did not retain legal counsel.
"I don't want to speak. You don't understand how hard my heart is," she said during a break.
The Crown played a soundless videotape of the rave, shot by plainclothes officers who arrived 8:15 a.m. Sunday, 10 hours after the event began.
The videotape showed hundreds of young, smiling partygoers, many wearing baggy pants, tank tops and backpacks, lying or sitting on a dirty, concrete floor or dancing under the flash of colourful fluorescent lights.
During the testimony, Mr. Ho's mother, seated alone in the back row, dabbed her eyes with a cream-coloured handkerchief underneath her sunglasses.
She did not retain legal counsel.
"I don't want to speak. You don't understand how hard my heart is," she said during a break.
The Crown played a soundless videotape of the rave, shot by plainclothes officers who arrived 8:15 a.m. Sunday, 10 hours after the event began.
The videotape showed hundreds of young, smiling partygoers, many wearing baggy pants, tank tops and backpacks, lying or sitting on a dirty, concrete floor or dancing under the flash of colourful fluorescent lights.
Thousands of empty water bottles and flyers promoting other all-night parties were strewn throughout the rave scene and across the lawn.
Inside the garage, near one of the two DJ booths were 30 blue portable toilets, concession stands for fruit juice ($4 a bottle) and water ($3 a bottle) and two hotdog stands.
Det. Correia visited the rave twice -- at 5:53 a.m. and again at 8:15 after learning of Mr. Ho's condition.
He said both times the inside of the parking garage was so hot "the floors and walls were wet from perspiration."
"I saw a number of people with pacifiers, soothers. A lot of people had lollipops in their mouths," said Det. Correia, who was present during the videotaping.
"What is the significance of this when you see someone with a lollipop or pacifier in their mouth?" asked Rusty Beauchesne, lawyer representing the Toronto Police Service.
"My understanding is that the [ecstasy] drug, it causes something to happen to your jaw," Det. Correia replied. "Having something in your mouth prevents teeth from grinding."
He testified that it was too dark inside the parking lot to see whether partygoers had "dilated eyes" and other visible signs associated with ecstasy use.
Mr. Wong told the inquest that between 60 and 70 per cent of the people there were on ecstasy, although he later said this was a guess.
He told Louis Sokolov, the lawyer representing the Toronto Dance Safety Committee, that he has not been to a rave since and doesn't plan on attending any others.
Inside the garage, near one of the two DJ booths were 30 blue portable toilets, concession stands for fruit juice ($4 a bottle) and water ($3 a bottle) and two hotdog stands.
Det. Correia visited the rave twice -- at 5:53 a.m. and again at 8:15 after learning of Mr. Ho's condition.
He said both times the inside of the parking garage was so hot "the floors and walls were wet from perspiration."
"I saw a number of people with pacifiers, soothers. A lot of people had lollipops in their mouths," said Det. Correia, who was present during the videotaping.
"What is the significance of this when you see someone with a lollipop or pacifier in their mouth?" asked Rusty Beauchesne, lawyer representing the Toronto Police Service.
"My understanding is that the [ecstasy] drug, it causes something to happen to your jaw," Det. Correia replied. "Having something in your mouth prevents teeth from grinding."
He testified that it was too dark inside the parking lot to see whether partygoers had "dilated eyes" and other visible signs associated with ecstasy use.
Mr. Wong told the inquest that between 60 and 70 per cent of the people there were on ecstasy, although he later said this was a guess.
He told Louis Sokolov, the lawyer representing the Toronto Dance Safety Committee, that he has not been to a rave since and doesn't plan on attending any others.
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