Digital Extra: The Station Fire

Daniel M. Biechele, who lit the pyrotechnics that started the fire at The Station nightclub, writes individual letters to each of the 100 families who lost a relative in the blaze.

01:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, April 18, 2006

BY PAUL EDWARD PARKER
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE -- The band manager who admitted triggering the Station nightclub fire has written letters to the families of the 100 people who died, saying that he is sorry and that he accepts responsibility for his crime.

Daniel M. Biechele sent the letters to Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. for distribution to the families, courts spokesman Craig N. Berke announced yesterday. Biechele gave the letters to Darigan -- by way of his lawyers -- because he did not have addresses for the families, Berke said.

The letters are not evidence in Biechele's sentencing, which is scheduled for May 8. "The judge has not read them," Berke said. "He's not going to read them; they're not to him."

Berke said that Biechele's lawyers provided Darigan with a sampling of the letters so the judge could tell what they are like. "These are really tailored to each individual family," Berke said. "It wasn't just a form letter where he filled in the blanks."

Berke said that the letters address the victims' relatives by name and express his sorrow. In the letters, he accepts responsibility for what happened and says that the guilt will stay with him for the rest of his life. He adds more personal comments, such as expressing regret that a particular child will go through life without a father as a result of the fire.

Berke declined to discuss the contents of the letters in more detail. He said the judge has not determined how the letters will be distributed, but that it will not be until after Biechele has been sentenced.

Biechele's lawyer, Thomas G. Briody, also would not discuss the contents of the letters.

Briody said Biechele wrote each letter by hand. "It took several weeks, if not months," Briody said. "This was his idea, and I think it's an extraordinary gesture on his part to try and connect with the people who have suffered so much in this case."

Meanwhile yesterday, the court announced details regarding the sentencing hearing.

The court issued guidelines for victims' relatives who want to give victim-impact statements to help Darigan determine Biechele's sentence. The guidelines direct speakers to address the judge, not Biechele, and to express their feelings and opinions about the people who died and their unique qualities. The guidelines admonish speakers not to discuss Biechele's character or to say how long his sentence should be. Speakers will not be able to display placards, pictures, signs or other objects when they address the court.

Yesterday was the deadline for relatives to submit written statements or requests to speak in court, though Berke said the deadline was "flexible." At last count, about 40 people had requested time to speak. It was unclear yesterday whether people other than relatives of the victims would be allowed to address the court.

Those wishing to make victim-impact statements should contact the attorney general's Victim Services Unit at (401) 274-440, ext. 2285.

Berke said it might be necessary to impose a time limit on the victim-impact statements, which, in past cases, have ranged from very brief to lasting more than 15 minutes each.

Berke said that the sentencing hearing will "almost certainly" take more than one day. Court TV, which will cover the sentencing, has been advised it will take two to three days, Berke said.

Courtroom seating for the sentencing will be similar to the conditions at the Feb. 7 hearing at which Biechele entered guilty pleas to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter. Relatives of those who died will have priority for seating in the public gallery. A limited number of seats at the side of the courtroom will be set aside for the media. Others who attend will have to sit in overflow courtrooms, where the proceedings will be shown on television screens.

Meanwhile, plans are moving forward for the trials of two other Station fire defendants, Michael A. and Jeffrey A. Derderian, the brothers who owned the West Warwick nightclub.

Michael Derderian is scheduled to go on trial July 31 in the new Kent County Courthouse, which is expected to be completed in a little more than a month.

The Derderian brothers, like Biechele, have been charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter. They are charged with two counts for each victim, under two separate legal theories of manslaughter. Because the double jeopardy clause of the Constitution prevents punishing people twice for the same crime, they could be sentenced only on a maximum of 100 counts.

pparker@projo.com / (401) 277-7360