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American Morning

Three Men Charged in Connection With Nightclub Fire

Aired December 10, 2003 - 08:15   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Three men charged in connection with that nightclub fire that took a hundred lives say they did nothing wrong. Yesterday in Rhode Island, a grand jury indicted the owners of the club and the tour manager for the band Great White. Investigators say the band's pyrotechnic display ignited that blaze. The three men pleaded innocent to involuntary manslaughter charges.
This morning, Victoria Potvin and Todd King, who survived that blaze many months ago, they're live in Framingham, Massachusetts with us today.

And good morning to both of you.

VICTORIA POTVIN, SURVIVED NIGHTCLUB FIRE: Good morning.

TODD KING, SURVIVED NIGHTCLUB FIRE: Good morning.

HEMMER: Victoria, your reaction to the charges filed?

POTVIN: I'm relatively pleased with the charges that were filed. I think they were definitely severe enough and they named three of the primary people. I do think that they could delve a little deeper and possibly find some more people to indict.

HEMMER: So you're not satisfied, is what you're saying?

POTVIN: I'm satisfied with the indictments that have come down so far. I just think they need to go a little bit further.

HEMMER: Yes, Todd, I know a bunch of the survivors got together yesterday -- there was about 50 -- in connection with the court proceedings.

Tell me how that went.

KING: Well, there was a lot more than 50, but there was 50 that were, you know, hand in hand with us. And everybody was relieved that this step has been taken and everyone thought that Attorney General Lunch did a fantastic job and the legal system will take care of what needs to be done in the future.

HEMMER: You say relief. I understand you were still looking again today for some sort of closure.

Does this move you further toward that goal?

KING: Yes. Like Attorney General Lynch said yesterday, this is one step. I'm more interested in trying to make sure that people in the future be OK financially and don't end up homeless or in suffering through no fault of their own.

HEMMER: Victoria, how often do you replay that night in your own mind?

POTVIN: I don't think it's something that ever goes away. So minute, every other minute.

HEMMER: Wow.

POTVIN: Every hour. It doesn't go away. It's, you know, you might forget about it for a couple of hours maybe when you're asleep, if you can sleep. You know, I still have trouble sleeping sometimes. But it's getting better.

HEMMER: Todd, the same question to you. Do you have the same comments as Victoria?

KING: Yes, there's not a second of the day that does go by without reflecting how this could have been any one of us that could have perished or been severely injured and flashbacks and sleeping problems with the whole thing. But it's getting better.

HEMMER: If that's the case, to both of you, how do you think this has changed yourself? How has it changed your life, maybe the way you look at things?

POTVIN: I know that I have a definite different outlook on life. I am forever a changed person. I would not have expected myself to be a very altruistic person before this happened, but I do know that now I can try and make somewhat of a difference to help people that were less fortunate than I was, than I have been. And that's really my main focus right now, is to try and help -- help a lot of people.

HEMMER: Todd, you get the last word on that.

KING: Yes, it's just, it, we're all going to be better people and make something good happen out of all this, and, you know, to reflect on how lucky we are and make something good happen.

HEMMER: Thanks for sharing.

Todd King, Victoria Potvin, they survived that blaze that killed 100.

Appreciate your thoughts this morning.

Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired December 10, 2003 - 08:15   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Three men charged in connection with that nightclub fire that took a hundred lives say they did nothing wrong. Yesterday in Rhode Island, a grand jury indicted the owners of the club and the tour manager for the band Great White. Investigators say the band's pyrotechnic display ignited that blaze. The three men pleaded innocent to involuntary manslaughter charges.
This morning, Victoria Potvin and Todd King, who survived that blaze many months ago, they're live in Framingham, Massachusetts with us today.

And good morning to both of you.

VICTORIA POTVIN, SURVIVED NIGHTCLUB FIRE: Good morning.

TODD KING, SURVIVED NIGHTCLUB FIRE: Good morning.

HEMMER: Victoria, your reaction to the charges filed?

POTVIN: I'm relatively pleased with the charges that were filed. I think they were definitely severe enough and they named three of the primary people. I do think that they could delve a little deeper and possibly find some more people to indict.

HEMMER: So you're not satisfied, is what you're saying?

POTVIN: I'm satisfied with the indictments that have come down so far. I just think they need to go a little bit further.

HEMMER: Yes, Todd, I know a bunch of the survivors got together yesterday -- there was about 50 -- in connection with the court proceedings.

Tell me how that went.

KING: Well, there was a lot more than 50, but there was 50 that were, you know, hand in hand with us. And everybody was relieved that this step has been taken and everyone thought that Attorney General Lunch did a fantastic job and the legal system will take care of what needs to be done in the future.

HEMMER: You say relief. I understand you were still looking again today for some sort of closure.

Does this move you further toward that goal?

KING: Yes. Like Attorney General Lynch said yesterday, this is one step. I'm more interested in trying to make sure that people in the future be OK financially and don't end up homeless or in suffering through no fault of their own.

HEMMER: Victoria, how often do you replay that night in your own mind?

POTVIN: I don't think it's something that ever goes away. So minute, every other minute.

HEMMER: Wow.

POTVIN: Every hour. It doesn't go away. It's, you know, you might forget about it for a couple of hours maybe when you're asleep, if you can sleep. You know, I still have trouble sleeping sometimes. But it's getting better.

HEMMER: Todd, the same question to you. Do you have the same comments as Victoria?

KING: Yes, there's not a second of the day that does go by without reflecting how this could have been any one of us that could have perished or been severely injured and flashbacks and sleeping problems with the whole thing. But it's getting better.

HEMMER: If that's the case, to both of you, how do you think this has changed yourself? How has it changed your life, maybe the way you look at things?

POTVIN: I know that I have a definite different outlook on life. I am forever a changed person. I would not have expected myself to be a very altruistic person before this happened, but I do know that now I can try and make somewhat of a difference to help people that were less fortunate than I was, than I have been. And that's really my main focus right now, is to try and help -- help a lot of people.

HEMMER: Todd, you get the last word on that.

KING: Yes, it's just, it, we're all going to be better people and make something good happen out of all this, and, you know, to reflect on how lucky we are and make something good happen.

HEMMER: Thanks for sharing.

Todd King, Victoria Potvin, they survived that blaze that killed 100.

Appreciate your thoughts this morning.

Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com