Posted 5:51 p.m.
PROVIDENCE -- CBS is the latest business to be subpoenaed by lawyers
representing victims' families and survivors from The Station nightclub
fire.
Attorney Patrick Jones has asked the broadcast giant to hand over
documents regarding club owner Jeffrey Derderian's employment at
WPRI-TV, a local CBS affiliate where Derderian worked as a reporter.
The request comes as a U.S. District Court judge considers whether
lawsuits stemming from the Feb. 20 nightclub fire should be handled in
federal or state court. CBS most likely will not have to comply with the
subpoena until the judge rules on the jurisdiction question, Jones said.
A message left with CBS's parent company, Viacom, was not immediately
returned.
Jones and other attorneys preparing lawsuits are trying to find out more
about the assignments Derderian received, specifically one on building
safety.
The night of the deadly fire, a cameraman for WPRI was at the West
Warwick club collecting video footage for a story on safety in public
places. Photographer Brian Butler captured pictures of the pyrotechnic
display and the flames that spread throughout the club.
The fire killed 100 people and injured about 200 others, making it the
worst fire in the state's history.
WPRI has said The Station was not the subject of the report and there
was no plan to publicize or promote the club. The television station has
confirmed that Derderian was the reporter assigned to the story.
Also subpoenaed for documents was LIN TV Corp. to determine its
relationship to CBS and WPRI.
Bryant Construction Inc. of North Kingstown was also asked to turn over
documents relating to work it did at the club in June 2001.
Last month, Jones sent to subpoenas to beer company Anheuser-Busch,
local beer distributors McLaughlin & Morin, and Derco LLC, the company
owned by Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, the club's owners, asking for
documents pertaining to the club.
He also subpoenaed music company Strawberries; radio station WHJY; and
Manic Music Management.
