Verdict Reached in the Ghost Ship Criminal Trial

In December of 2016, the now infamous Oakland “Ghost Ship” warehouse, went up in flames during a concert taking place in the building. The deadly fire killed 36 people and left many others injured. Further, as the Ghost Ship warehouse had served as both a home and workspace for artists, the tragic fire left many homeless.

In the Ghost Ship criminal case, Master tenant Derick Almena and his assistant Max Harris were charged with 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter. Each charge represented one individual who died in the warehouse fire. Attorney Mary Alexander of Mary Alexander & Associates, P.C. is representing many of the victims of the Ghost Ship fire in the civil case.

In a breaking development in the Oakland Ghost Ship criminal trial, defendant Max Harris was acquitted on Thursday of all 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter. However, the primary tenant, Derick Almena’s fate has yet to be decided.

The jury was deadlocked 10-2 on Almena’s culpability with the majority of 10 favoring a guilty verdict. This hung jury result leaves Almena’s criminal fate up in the air for now; with the possibility of a re-trial in the near future. Mary Alexander is pursuing justice for the victims and their families in a civil suit against the Ng family, the building owners, and PG&E to hold them accountable for the lack of care that they exercised in maintaining the building and its electrical system.

In her statement to the press, Alexander said that she is looking forward to pursuing the civil case against the City of Oakland, the Ng Family, as well as PG&E. This trial will begin in May 2020.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of a fire due to the negligence of another, contact Mary Alexander and Associates, P.C. today. Our experienced attorneys are passionate in bringing justice to victims of personal injuries.