The Killers Investigating Sexual Misconduct Claim Against Touring Crew
The Killers are investigating a sexual misconduct claim involving members of their 2009 touring crew. The alleged incident was detailed in an account written by a sound engineer named Chez Cherrie, who was on the 2009 tour. The blog post was published online in 2018, but Cherrie has indicated on Twitter that she wrote it in 2015. She recently re-shared the article and named the Killers as the band that she previously did not identify.
Chez Cherrie does not identify the alleged victim and does not implicate members of the Killers in the alleged incident.
When reached by Pitchfork, representatives for the Killers shared the following statement from the band’s attorneys Reynolds & Associates:
First and foremost, any allegations of inappropriate behavior by anyone on The Killers touring team are taken extremely seriously by the band and their management. This person’s story is appalling and, while The Killers do not have the same touring crew in 2020 that they had in 2009, they will be conducting a thorough investigation into past and present tour staff. Their legal team will be reaching out to this person for more information and clarity on the alleged incidents as detailed, as well as to the audio vendor who provided crew for the tour.
The band are astonished and shocked by these claims. The behavior attributed to them and their crew is unrecognizable and in direct opposition to the principles with which they run their workplace.
When reached by Pitchfork, Chez Cherrie said:
The fact that [the Killers are] not 100% coming at me and claiming everything is false is a good sign. And I appreciate that they seem to want to get in touch with me. I have not received a cease and desist yet. I have not been contacted by anybody. They do have my contact information, as I remember it is in their records. So at this point I’m just waiting to hear from them. To find out how they would like to fix this.
According to Chez Cherrie, the alleged incident took place the night that the Killers played the Rave/Eagles Ballroom in Milwaukee. She wrote that, during the show, the front of house (FOH) engineer told the crew that there was “a girl set up in Dressing Room A,” and crew members could put their name on a list to be called “when it’s [their] turn.” She said that her stagehands wanted to “put their name on the list.”
Cherrie wrote that, after the show, “Everyone was swapping stories about this woman and their experiences with her. They talked about her intoxication level, yet had no qualms that she was obviously blacked out, or close to it.” As the crew was getting ready to leave the venue, a security guard allegedly told the FOH engineer, “That girl in Dressing Room A is passed out and naked. Is anyone going to take care of her? Do you have a number of a friend or someone we can call?” The FOH engineer and other crew members allegedly laughed at and dismissed the question.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, we encourage you to reach out for support:
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
http://www.rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)Crisis Text Line
http://www.facebook.com/crisistextline (chat support)
SMS: Text “HERE” to 741-741
Originally Appeared on Pitchfork
