The owners of the Rhode Island club where a fire during a Great White concert in 2003 killed 100 people have confirmed they will plead no contest to the involuntary manslaughter charges that have been brought against them, though it has been confirmed only one of them will serve jail time for the incident.
The brothers, Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, who owned the Station nightclub in West Warwick, have previously denied responsibility for the fire, claiming that they had told the Great White's management that they were not allowed to use the pyrotechnics that it. However, their representatives confirmed yesterday that a plea deal had now been reached that would see the brothers change their position regarding responsibility. As part of the bargain Michael will serve a four year jail sentence, with eligibility for a work release programme, while Jeffrey will receive a suspended ten year sentence.
Confirmation of the plea bargain followed reports in the local media that the Rhode Island Attorney General, Patrick Lynch, had written to the families of those killed in the fire to inform them of the deal that had been reached between the Derderians' legal people and Superior Court Judge Francis Darigan. Many of those families have reacted angrily to the deal, which they feel is too lenient. Much of their anger seems to be directed at Lynch, even though he himself has said he disagrees with the leniency of Darigan's ruling.
The bargain comes as jury selection was under way for the planned criminal trials of the two brothers. It also follows the previously reported conclusion of separate action against Great White tour manager Daniel Biechele, who was jailed for four years back in May after pleading guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter for his role in setting off the pyrotechnics at the Station club that night.