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The Station nightclub fire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Page 4 of 7 avoid blame on the part of the band, the nightclub owners, the manufacturers 2003 and distributors of the foam material and pyrotechnics, and the concert promoters. On December 9, 2003, Jeffrey A. and Michael A. Derderian, the two owners of The Station nightclub, and Daniel M. Biechele, Great White's former road manager, were charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter—two per death. All three pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Derderians also were fined$1.07 million for failing to carry workers' compensation insurance for their employees, four of whom died in the blaze. On November 14, 2005, lawyers for the Derderians requested all charges be dropped against their clients, alleging a grand jury was never made aware of a fax vital to the case. The fax, sent anonymously to prosecutors by American Foam Corp. salesman Barry Warner, told of his company's policy of withholding from customers the hazards of its foam products, including flammability. Criminal trial The first criminal trial was to be against Great White's then tour manager Daniel Michael Biechele (pron. "BEE-clee"), 29, from Orlando, Florida. This trial was expected to start May 1, 2006, but Biechele (against his lawyers' advice) pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter on February 7, 2006 in an effort to "bring peace, I want this to be over with."[41 Under the plea agreement reached with prosecutors, he could have served up to 10 years in prison. Biechele sentencing ■ On May 10, 2006, State Prosecutor, Randall White, asked the court to sentence Biechele to 10 years in prison, the maximum allowed under the plea bargain, citing the massive loss of life in The Station fire and the need to send a message.[4] ■ Speaking to the public for the first time during his trial, Biechele looked to be truly remorseful during his sentencing. Choking back tears, he made this statement to the court and to the families of the victims: Biechele's statement to the court: GG three years, ltbe e ----- people that were affected by this tragedy, but I know that there's nothing that I can say or do that will undo what happened that night. z Since the fire, I have wanted to tell the victims and their families how truly sorry I am for what happened that night and the part that I had in it. I never wanted anyone to be hurt in any way. I never imagined that anyone ever would be. I know how this tragedy has devastated me, but I can only Biechele,giving his tearful apology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Station—fire 10/26/2007