By Associated Press - Friday, May 15, 2015

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - The Mississippi Supreme Court let stand Thursday a lower court decision that a man who fell through a hole in a catwalk above the Amory High School stage can sue the school district after all.

The Amory School District had sought to overturn a ruling last fall from state Court of Appeals that it was not immune from a lawsuit by Robert Calonkey.

The district hired Calonkey to help produce “Phantom of the Opera” in 2011. He tripped over wiring, scraped himself on metal and fell through a hole 10 feet to the stage.

The Appeals Court said Calonkey’s suit wasn’t barred by the district’s argument that the danger was “open and obvious.” A

The negligence was sent back to Monroe County Circuit Court.

Copyright © 2026 The Washington Times, LLC.

Please read our comment policy before commenting.