Relatives' victim-impact statements will be limited

Diane Mattera wants to look nightclub owners Michael and Jeffrey Derderian in the eye and describe what her family lost when her daughter Tammy was killed in the The Station nightclub blaze that left 100 people dead 3 1/2 years ago. She wants the judge and the attorney general to know how outraged she was last week when she heard about the Derderians' plea deal, which she described as ``shocking" and ``lenient."

The grieving mother also wants the survivors, many of whom were badly burned and disfigured, to have their say in court at today's sentencing hearing.

But she won't be allowed any of that at today's sentencing hearing in Warwick, R.I.

Strict legal guidelines governing the proceedings prohibit addressing the defendants or offering opinions about the sentencing and allow only one representative for each person lost in the fire to make statements to the court. No pictures, placards, or other displays will be allowed inside the courtroom.

``It's been a very long and horrible week trying to write an impact statement that will have no impact," Mattera said yesterday.

Mattera will be among the crowd of victims' families, survivors, and supporters packing the small courtroom, hallways, and overflow rooms, as the Derderians each plead no contest to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter today. Twenty-five relatives of victims have requested to read impact statements, which some said will include protests over the surprise plea agreement, despite the rules. The statements will be limited in length to five to eight minutes.

Other relatives of victims say they wrote a letter to the judge instead of facing the crowds and crush of media.

``Emotionally I feel like I've been hit by a tank," said Charles Sweet of Pembroke, whose son Shawn, 28, died in the blaze.

Sweet said he had little faith that the court will hear their voices. ``I wrote an impact statement about how my wife and I feel. It'll probably be thrown in the rubbish."

In a letter sent to families last week, Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. said he will sentence Michael Derderian to four years in prison and spare Jeffrey Derderian jail time through a suspended sentence and 500 hours of community service. The sentence will mark an end to the criminal case stemming from the Feb. 20, 2003 fire, which started after pyrotechnics were ignited and flames tore through the soundproofing foam the Derderians had installed throughout the club.

The pyrotechnics were ignited by rock band Great White's manager, Daniel M . Biechele , who was sentenced in May to four years in prison after an emotional three-day hearing in which relatives of nearly half those killed either spoke or had their statements read aloud.

To prepare for the scores of survivors, relatives, and supporters expected to arrive at 8:30 a.m. today, court officials have added extra safety precautions, said Craig Berke , courthouse spokesman.

The proceedings, which will be broadcast live on Court TV and local stations, will begin at 9:30 a.m. with opening remarks by Darigan.

Karen Lapierre of Oxford wrote the impact statement her husband, Richard, will read at the hearing. The couple lost their son, Keith, 29, in the fire.

``As far as I'm concerned the judgment is out of our hands," she said. ``When everybody is out there crying for blood, crying for vengeance, I just want to say that it is not our place to judge. When the time comes, and we are all judged, they will be held accountable."

After the statements are read, the judge will hear the defendants change their plea, then hear statements from the prosecution, defense, and defendants before handing down the sentence. If the hearing does not conclude today, it will be continued Tuesday.