Attorneys for those charged in fire meet to discuss evidence
(AP) -- Attorneys for the three people charged in a nightclub fire that killed 100 people met with prosecutors Tuesday to determine when they will receive documents, transcripts and other evidence used by the state to build its criminal case.
Already 185 hours of grand jury testimony have been given to lawyers for nightclub owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian and Great White tour manager Dan Biechele, a spokesman for the attorney general said.
The Derderians and Biechele each have been charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter, stemming from The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick. They have pleaded innocent.
The Feb. 20 fire started when the 1980s rock band Great White began performing and sparks from its pyrotechnic display set fire to flammable foam placed around the stage as soundproofing.
The state took nine months to build a criminal case against the club owners and Biechele, who lit off the pryotechnics.
During Tuesday�s meeting, which was behind closed doors, attorneys discussed a schedule for when the state would give the defense the evidence collected during the criminal investigation, according to Kathleen Hagerty, an attorney for Michael Derderian.
Hagerty also filed a request to obtain a piece of the flammable soundproofing foam, which the state is holding, she said.
Michael Healey, a spokesman for the attorney general, said pre-trial conferences also typically include discussions about plea bargains and ways to proceed if a case goes to trial.
Pine said it�s premature to discuss any sort of settlement. He maintained that his client, Jeffrey Derderian, is innocent.
Michael Healey, a spokesman for the attorney general, said it�s too early to talk about the possible format of the trial, including whether the three defendants will be tried separately.
Also Tuesday, Superior Court Judge Francis Darigan allowed the defense to add attorney Richard Egbert to its team. Egbert, a Boston lawyer, has represented many prominent Rhode Islanders, including former Providence Mayor Vincent �Buddy� Cianci Jr. and former Gov. Edward DiPrete, who both faced corruption charges.
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