Almena, 50, pleaded guilty in January to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter in exchange for a 12-year sentence. The Dec. 2, 2016, inferno broke out at the warehouse during an electronic music event, trapping victims on the illegally constructed second floor. Prosecutors said the victims got no warning and had little chance to escape down a narrow, ramshackle staircase. At the same trial, the jury also found co-defendant Max Harris, who was the Ghost Ship’s “creative director” and rent collector, not guilty. AdvertisementLast year, the Oakland City Council agreed to pay just over $33 million to settle civil lawsuits filed on behalf of the victims.

Source: Los Angeles Times March 09, 2021 03:25 UTC