Ex-Band Manager Gets 4 Years in R.I. Fire

[johnnie]

"PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A former band manager who set off pyrotechnics that sparked the nation's fourth-deadliest nightclub fire, killing 100 concertgoers in 2003, is sentenced to four years in prison."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060510/ap_on_re_us/nightclub_fire_24


Who was that band again? The Great White?

[no name no slogan]

1. WOW four years

Yeah, it was Great White. Their guitarist died in the fire. And it was a pretty stupid-ass thing to do. Tiny clubs and fireworks DO NOT MIX.

[skygazer]

2. Great White

That was horrible. The whole thing gave me nightmares - the idea of being trapped in a burning building just gives me the creeps. :scared:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. That was some crazy shit.

I remember the footage of the doorway crammed full of kids trying to get out, people stuck sideways, screaming while smoke was coming out the windows.

It really punched you in the gut, sort of like the 9-11 jumpers.

[Neoma]

4. Wow.

[asthmaticeog]

5. Four years? Didn't like 100 people die?

[MissB]

6. He really got 15 years with 11 years suspended.

But yeah, that's four years.

[asthmaticeog]

7. It seems so out-of-proportion...

...given that some people have gotten life - or even the death sentence - for killing ONE person.

Then again, I guess this wasn't a murder charge.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

8. This was an accident.

He was being irresponsible, but it was an accident nonetheless.

[asthmaticeog]

9. Accident, eh? Whoop-sie! Pardon my blooper!

[Blue-Jay]

11. Well that's OK, then.

Don't let it happen again, young man.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

12. Well here's hoping

you never cause an accident yourself.

[asthmaticeog]

13. I'll refrain from setting off pyro in small overcrowded rooms. I promise.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

14. On second thought, let's kill the bastard.

Why, we can chop off his head and fuck the skull. That'll bring back the dead faster.

[asthmaticeog]

15. Calm your groin, rockstar.

I was pointing out a disparity in sentencing. I'm aware that the dead don't return -- thanks for the bulletin, though. But massive stupidity is not an "accident" as you so blithely (and insultingly) put it. Pooh-poohing irresponsibility so mind-boggling that it easily crosses the line into negligent mass-homicide makes you look as willfully daft as any given publicist.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

17. Oh, I'm sorry.

I thought we were just all being flippant and sarcastic.

[asthmaticeog]

18. You forgot "stupid."

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

19. Well I didn't actually forget, I just didn't want to offend.

But yes, I came to the conclusion that we were supposed to reply with something flippant, sarcastic, and stupid.

I also was going to post a stupid little cartoon animal, but I couldn't find a skull-fucking cartoon.

[asthmaticeog]

20. Here you go.

You're welcome. :patriot:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

22. That works.

It even includes two Great White fans.

[asthmaticeog]

23. .

:rofl:

:thumbsup:

[johnnie]

10. In my opinion

It was a really really stupid accident. The club was also sold out well past the allowed amount of people to be in the club. I wonder how much that played a part in it all.

[L A Woman]

16. it seemed to have more to do with the foam insulation than anything else

i mean, it seems to stupid to me, but apparently it was a normal part of the show and only caused a fire because of the insulation.

still...i feel sorry for that guy. 4 years in prison is nothing. he'll live with that for the rest of his life.

[WCGreen]

21. So will the rest of the band......

[bbernardini]

24. Not nearly enough. Hopefully, it's in PMITA Prison. nt

[CanuckAmok]

25. It's an inapropriate sentance.

I mean, it was an accident, admittedly a terrible one, but it certainly doesn't suggest that it was intentional, nor does it suggest the manager is likely to do the same thing again.

IMHO, prison is supposed to be about rehabilitation. I don't see how doing time is going to rehabilitate this guy, whose life is already ruined. All it's going to do is immerse him in a dangerous environment for four years.

The best idea I heard was the mom of one of the kids who died. Her suggestion was that he be sentanced to thousands of hours working in a hospital burn-unit, and touring (at his own expense) to teach fire safety to club/restaurant/theatre owners.



edit: poor spelling, but I'm too tired to actually correct it.

[SoCalDemGrrl]

26. Very unfortunate. The guy a terrible mistake, but who could have forseen

the results?? I'm sure this was one of hundreds of gigs the band played where they used similar effects, but this time
I'm sure no one noticed the flammable ceiling....

I really feel sorry for everyone involved in this terrible catastrophe.

[johnnie]

27. I wonder what was in the band's contract with the club

If pyrotechnics were discussed in the contract with the club, then I would imagine that the club should have been responsible for the safety issues. If it was in the contract, which I would believe it would be, then if the owners of the club thought that their club was not suitable for pyrotechnics then they shouldn't have allowed them.