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Station Nightclub Owner Released From Prison

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Jun 25, 2009 1:34 pm US/Eastern

Station Nightclub Owner Released From Prison

Michael Derderian Served Less Than Three Years

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WBZ) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 4: Michael and Jeffrey Derderian during their 2006 trial.
CBS
Click to enlarge 2 of 4: 100 people died in the inferno.
CBS
Click to enlarge 3 of 4: The fire was sparked by pyrotechnics used by the band Great White.
CBS
Click to enlarge 4 of 4: CBS

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The former co-owner of the Station nightclub in Rhode Island has been released early from prison for good behavior.

One hundred people were killed in the February 2003 blaze.

A spokesman for the state prison said Michael Derderian was freed Thursday. He was initially due out this fall.

Derderian spent less than three years behind bars after pleading no contest to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter for the West Warwick nightclub fire. The fire was sparked by pyrotechnics used by the rock band Great White – which ignited cheap foam used as soundproofing.

Derderian said in an e-mailed statement that his time in prison was difficult but that others have suffered worse.

"Although my incarceration has ended, remembering the loss of life and pain from family members and survivors is something that will never leave me," the statement said. "The magnitude of what happened cannot be measured in words."

Daniel Biechele, the band manager who lit the pyrotechnics, was released from prison last spring after serving less than two years of his four year sentence.

Jeffrey Derderian, Michael's brother and co-owner of the Station, was spared prison time and sentenced instead to probation and 500 hours of community service.

Last fall the Derderian brothers reached an $813,000 civil settlement with fire survivors and the families of those who perished.

Michael Derderian's Full Statement:

"Although my incarceration has ended, remembering the loss of life and pain from family members and survivors is something that will never leave me. The magnitude of what happened cannot be measured in words and while my prison time was certainly difficult, I have always known there are others who have endured so much more on a daily basis.

"I plan to contribute to our non-profit Station Education Fund where with the help of many people we have secured significant college scholarship assistance and raised money for children who lost parents in the fire. I also plan to help those affected in any way I can through participation in prevention and education so this kind of tragedy can never happen again anywhere. I would also be willing to speak about my experience while incarcerated in the hopes that it may deter people from making the wrong choices.

"Finally Id like to take a moment to thank the many, many people, including victims, who offered words of encouragement and support to both me and my family during this period. You have no idea how much those words meant during those many times that our hearts and our spirits came so close to breaking."