The former manager of the heavy metal rock group Great White has agreed to plead guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter for his role in a 2003 nightclub fire that killed 100 people, a judge said Tuesday.

Daniel Biechele, 29, will enter the plea next Tuesday and serve no more than 10 years in prison under a deal with prosecutors that may have spared him a life sentence, Superior Court Judge Francis Darigan said.

Biechele had been charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter for starting the blaze when he ignited pyrotechnics during a Great White performance at The Station nightclub in West Warwick.

Sparks from the pyrotechnics ignited highly flammable foam lining the club's walls and ceiling, creating a fast-moving blaze that killed 100 people and injured more than 200 in the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in the country's history.

Source: USA Today

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Posted by Lawren at February 2, 2006 06:22 AM | Trackbacks (1)

• Accidental Verbosity linked with After The Fire
  

You Said

Such a shame that something like this could potentially put someone away for life (luckiy he pled it down), whereas a malicious murder of an innocent victim over $5 gets someone 10-12 years at times .... what a joke.

Says: Iceman at February 2, 2006 08:16 AM

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It's odd seeing this mentioned after almost three years. It's one of the very first things I ever blogged about.

Says: Jay at February 2, 2006 08:29 AM

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