Station Witness Refuses Testimony

The wife of Station nightclub co-owner Michael Derderian plans to cite marital privilege and refuse to testify against her husband in his trial following a fire that killed 100 in the club during a Great White performance.

Kristina Link, who was also the office manager of the company that ran the nightclub, married Derderian after the February 2003 fire.

Link has been subpoenaed by the state to testify in Derderian’s case, which is scheduled for September 5th, but Link’s lawyer has confirmed she intends to not testify because she is married to him.

In the aftermath of the fire, she provided investigators with information about the financial condition of the club, its workings and day-to-day decision-making. She also provided a grand jury detailed testimony about the operation and management of the club.

Station owners Michael and Jeffrey Derderian were charged with installing flammable soundproofing foam that fueled the fire, and negligence in managing the West Warwick, R.I., club. They have pleaded innocent to 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter.

Former Great White tour manager Dan Biechele was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to setting off the pyrotechnics.