Report: GREAT WHITE Tour Manager, Club Owners Indicted In Rhode Island Fire

December 9, 2003

The owners of the nightclub where 100 people were killed in a fire last February were indicted on involuntary manslaughter charges Tuesday (Dec. 9) along with the tour manager for the hard rock band GREAT WHITE whose pyrotechnics ignited the blaze, according to the Associated Press.

Club owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian and GREAT WHITE tour manager Dan Biechele were each charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter — two for each death.

All three men pleaded innocent during an arraignment in which bail was also set.

Members of GREAT WHITE, who have been named in several civil suits, were not charged by the grand jury.

The band's guitarist, Ty Longley, was among those killed the fire.

GREAT WHITE recently wrapped up a five-month tour to raise money for fire victims. The band raised just under $64,000, but their tour was criticized by family members of victims who blamed the band for the fire and said the tour was self-serving.

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