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« Update: Politicians react to Derderians' plea | Today | Hospital lawyer says he wasn't told of Celona's legislative role » September 21, 2006Lynch responds to Judge Darigan's criticismAttorney General Patrick C. Lynch issued a statement late this afternoon responding to criticism today by Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr., who blasted the Attorney General's Office for leaking the terms of the Derderians' sentences to the press before the families of Station fire victims had been notified. "I deeply respect Judge Darigan as a jurist and as a human being. He has handled the cases arising from The Station nightclub fire in an extremely fair and professional manner," Lynch said. "However well-intentioned the plans were to notify the families of those who perished in the fire, that process represented an unprecedented challenge, particularly coming as it did two weeks prior to the start of Michael Derderian's trial," he continued. "From the moment I learned of the terms of the sentence the judge planned to impose, I knew that the victims would be deeply hurt, regardless of how they heard the news. While each of us had the victims' best interests in mind in sending individual letters, the reality is that the vast majority of people would still learn of the Court's intentions through the news media." "I am concerned, as he is, that the process did not work as well as we had hoped, and I will, in time, find out why. My focus at this time, however, is on those who lost loved ones, family members, and friends in the fire at The Station, and seeing them through the days ahead," he concluded. Lynch met one on one earlier this afternoon with members of the press to explain his position. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Lynch says Derderian sentence not his idea PROVIDENCE -- In a private interview this afternoon with The Journal, Attorney General Patrick Lynch maintained his insistence that he objected to the plea bargain announced yesterday that will send Michael Derderian to prison for four years and spare his brother, Jeffrey, from serving any time at all. Despite reports from the Derderians' attorney to the contrary, Lynch said his office never made a bona fide offer. Michael Derderian's attorney Kathleen Hagerty yesterday provided The Journal a handwritten note listing the terms of the plea bargain written by an assistant attorney general. Lynch today said the document merely contained notes from conversations between the parties. The numbers on the note were suggested by the defense, Lynch said, not the prosecution. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Mark Arsenault Posted by Steve Peoples CommentsRichard DiNardo | September 29, 2006 2:30 PM link Post a commentPlease be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish. |
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ProJo 9 to 5 News Blog
Oct 2005 - March 2006
Judge Darigan should be forced to stand down. Forget blasting the Attorney general he should blast himself for making such a poor decision