GUILTY CA - Massive fire at Oakland warehouse party, 36 dead, 2 Dec 2016 #3

[mom2four717]

Holy Cow!!
Hallelujah!

 

[KaaBoom]

Criminal defense attorney Dan Horowitz, who has been following the case, called the charges appropriate.

“The property owner could have been charged but the jury may have hung on that defendant and it would’ve put a cloud over a very good case against the other defendants so it was a judgment call,” Horowitz said.

Stanford Law professor Robert Weisberg said charges against Almena and Harris were “inevitable.”

“In theory they could even be second-degree murder charges, but involuntary manslaughter seems a no-brainer,” Weisberg said. “Charges against the owner seem plausible, as well as charges against others who helped run the place or the event. One might infer that some peripheral actors are getting a chance to cut deals to testify against the major actors.”

Derick Almena, second Ghost Ship tenant charged with 36 counts of manslaughter

 

[gitana1]

Gitana,

Pissed off is an understatement! Let's just say he removed a lot of his posts. I was following their social media right after the fire, and I was absolutely disgusted by the way those smug a**h**** were acting like they were the victims. Zero regard for all the lives lost! It made me sick!

I'm so sorry that none of this will bring those angels back to their families, but I am so glad those "high and mighty" jerks are finally getting a much needed reality check!

Sending lots of love and healing vibes to you and your brother, Gitana. I know it's hard, but he will pull through! [emoji169]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Did you know that Ohr/Harris had a Go Fund me and got $2,000.00 from it? He also probably received a bunch of money form the funds that were set up as they gave monies to people who lived there and had been reimbursed.

The two of them are massive narcissists. It's so disgusting. Made me sick to think about. They literally blocked exits so they could cram as many bodies in the dangerous space as possible. Just hoping to cash in. Those creeps made a ton of money off illegally renting the space and hosting parties to which they lured unsuspecting people like the people who went to the show.

And they absolutely knew first hand it was a fire hazard and didn't give a flying you know what. They portray themselves as these carefree, loveable hippy types but they're greedy, narcissistic and soulless.

 

[Spellbound]

Gitana, I have a rather personal question to ask, but please do not feel the need to respond if you don't want.

Will you (or more importantly, your brother) get any satisfaction from a trial for these two and a serious/severe punishment? As an "outsider" trying to put myself in your shoes the best I can, I do not believe anything could ever be enough to ease the pain and loss in any way, but I also think I would get some satisfaction knowing those with the biggest contribution to such a disaster will be put away for a very long time.

I have no idea what is the greatest sentence they might receive, but I do hope it is the maximum allowable and is long and just.

 

[Hatfield]

JMO

I followed this tragedy when it happened and just recently been catching up.

I am glad that charges are being brought on certain people. I dont know all the people involved but from reading the articles I think they are going about it the right way and think they have some of the key responsible people.

Like others have said there is a lot of shared blame to go around but at least they are targeting some of the main contributers to the disaster.

Some of the very early news had me realizing that certain people that helped run that place were very narccistic people and didnt seem to care about peoples lives. Making money was their priority and their attitude after the tragedy was upsetting.

 

[human]

I still cannot understand why Micah is not charged. She was a part of it as well.she benefited financially

 

[Lilibet]

I still cannot understand why Micah is not charged. She was a part of it as well.she benefited financially

I think it's probably a pragmatic decision to make a case against the two people who are most culpable and who are most likely to be convicted...at this point. The comment by Dan Horowitz about the property owner could apply just as well to Micah. If a jury were to hang on a case against an old lady or a mom of three it could create doubt in the stronger cases. Charges against others may come later and I hope they do, but I'm all for nailing these two first and not weakening their case in any way.

Criminal defense attorney Dan Horowitz, who has been following the case, called the charges appropriate.
“The property owner could have been charged but the jury may have hung on that defendant and it would’ve put a cloud over a very good case against the other defendants so it was a judgment call,” Horowitz said.

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/06/05/ghost-ship-fire-criminal-charges-filed-da-says/

 

[EuTuCroquet?]

I'm wondering the same thing, @human. (In fact, that was my first thought when I read about Derick.) I wonder if she cooperated with police/prosecutors in some way, or whether charges for her might be announced soon. MOO, of course.

I still cannot understand why Micah is not charged. She was a part of it as well.she benefited financially

 

[Spellbound]

Apparently he was once again stockpiling "trash/wood scraps" (my word) in the yard at his recent home where he has resided for only a few months. neighbors were concerned.


Derick Almena, 47, appeared in Lake County Superior Court on Monday. article and videos of appearance at: http://abc7news.com/news/exclusive-oaklands-ghost-ship-founder-appears-in-court/2067225/

Almena fought returning to Alameda County to face 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter that could get him 39 years in prison, in connection with December's Ghost Ship fire.

He insisted on appearing in court late Monday afternoon to have the charges read. No attorney, no family members and no friends came to support Almena.

Almena is being held on $1,080,000 bond. He could be brought back to the Bay Area as early as Monday night or any time in the next five days.

 

[Spellbound]

Jan. 2017 Article: Almeda's wife "apologized", says the family had had trouble relocating ... "no one wants them in their neighborhood"
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/...ghost-ship-fire-apologize-20170124-story.html

Old article: Micah's family felt she was under "his control". http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/...r-the-woman-who-helped-run-Ghost-10789682.php

March 2017: Micah pleading for funds to help the family ...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4276562/Couple-ran-Oakland-Ghost-Ship-plead-money.html

 

[MsMarple]

Did you know that Ohr/Harris had a Go Fund me and got $2,000.00 from it? He also probably received a bunch of money form the funds that were set up as they gave monies to people who lived there and had been reimbursed.

The two of them are massive narcissists. It's so disgusting. Made me sick to think about. They literally blocked exits so they could cram as many bodies in the dangerous space as possible. Just hoping to cash in. Those creeps made a ton of money off illegally renting the space and hosting parties to which they lured unsuspecting people like the people who went to the show.

And they absolutely knew first hand it was a fire hazard and didn't give a flying you know what. They portray themselves as these carefree, loveable hippy types but they're greedy, narcissistic and soulless.

And pigs too IMO. Add to that they don't seem to learn from experience either, probably because none of them see themselves as responsible for anything.

Max Ohr/Harris:

Meanwhile, Max Harris, the “creative director” of the Ghost Ship, spent the last few months far from Oakland living in a converted warehouse space in South Los Angeles similar to the torched Fruitvale district warehouse, before he was arrested Monday and, like Almena, charged with 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter. Los Angeles County tax assessor records show the building where Harris lived in Southern California is not zoned for residential use, just like the Ghost Ship.

Derick Almena:

“Upper Lake is up and coming,” Gerard said outside her shop. “I can see why (Almena) came up here. It’s a low-key place to regroup.”

Almena and his family settled in a townhouse painted white with green trim on Mendenhall Avenue, around the corner from Main Street. Ron McMilin, who lives a few doors down, said he did not know about the family’s past in Oakland until another neighbor told him, “we got the Ghost Ship people next door.”
...
The family’s minivan was in the driveway Tuesday. A small pile of wood, bicycles and a speaker were strewn about in the backyard, as seen from a neighboring lot. The backyard abuts a long gravel driveway where Swatts and Webster run their business. The couple said that about a month ago, they noticed someone had taken off pieces of wood from the fence that separates them from Almena’s townhouse.

http://www.dailynews.com/general-ne...ghbors-we-got-the-ghost-ship-people-next-door

A judge Thursday delayed until next week the arraignment of the operator of an Oakland warehouse where three dozen people died in a devastating fire so that the second defendant can be brought to court as well.

The continuance is bound to be the first of many delays in what promises to be a complex and difficult criminal trial.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ghost-ship-20170608-story.html

More at the link.

 

[MsMarple]

News conference coming up at 11:30:

http://abc7news.com/live/7176/

On Tuesday, Almena’s legal team announced it will hold a news conference Friday addressing their client’s charges.

“The topics to be covered include the legal theories underlying his defense, the facts upon which we intend to rely to argue such theories, and the circumstances that lend themselves to our client’s innocence,” the attorneys wrote.

Almena’s wife Micah Allison will also be present and speak at the news conference. His attorneys asked the media to not attempt to interview Almena in jail and they’ve recommended he turn down such requests.

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/06/...to-alameda-county-to-face-ghost-ship-charges/

 

[MsMarple]

News conference so far = blahblah scapegoat blahblah would never have allowed his family to live there if he thought it was a fire trap... blaming everyone else.

I'm really only interested in hearing Micah Allison.

 

[MsMarple]

IMO the essence of the defense team's argument is that the case against Almena belongs in civil court not criminal court. And, (also IMO) I believe the main reason for that argument is because Almena has no assets.

 

[KaaBoom]

News conference coming up at 11:30:

http://abc7news.com/live/7176/


http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/06/...to-alameda-county-to-face-ghost-ship-charges/

OMG, watching the last 20 minutes of that news conference, that was a trainwreck. That has to be the worst legal team I have ever seen. So basically they are going to try and pin the blame on Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Good luck with that. Micah Allison almost collapsed at the end. She looked like she knew it's all over for her husband.

 

[Lilibet]

OMG, watching the last 20 minutes of that news conference, that was a trainwreck. That has to be the worst legal team I have ever seen. So basically they are going to try and pin the blame on Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Good luck with that. Micah Allison almost collapsed at the end. She looked like she knew it's all over for her husband.

They're also blaming the fire department around the corner and anyone else they can find. One of the attorneys said that instead of putting a ladder up to rescue people the firemen cut a hole in the roof which pulled the fire upward. I suspect there was no one left to rescue at that point. Everyone who could jump out already had. A lawyer also "clarified" that the stairway was a purchased prefab one with pallets only at the bottom. He was very careful not to say what material the stairway was made from. Had it been metal, he would have made sure to say that.

Micah Allison was full of herself as usual. She said her main point was to say that there is a need for low cost housing for working artists. She talked about how wonderful her husband and friend are. They are not greedy or careless. I was waiting for her to ask for money for her family. She came "this close" IMO.

As anyone with a brain knows, if Ion had not filled that building with flammable material, crazy wiring, and allowed renters and parties none of this would have happened. It has little to do with inspections, etc. Even if he had been properly cited and reported, he clearly was determined to do what he wanted and would have fought for his "rights" for years. JMO

 

[KaaBoom]

They're also blaming the fire department around the corner and anyone else they can find. One of the attorneys said that instead of putting a ladder up to rescue people the firemen cut a hole in the roof which pulled the fire upward. I suspect there was no one left to rescue at that point. Everyone who could jump out already had. A lawyer also "clarified" that the stairway was a purchased prefab one with pallets only at the bottom. He was very careful not to say what material the stairway was made from. Had it been metal, he would have made sure to say that.

Micah Allison was full of herself as usual. She said her main point was to say that there is a need for low cost housing for working artists. She talked about how wonderful her husband and friend are. They are not greedy or careless. I was waiting for her to ask for money for her family. She came "this close" IMO.

As anyone with a brain knows, if Ion had not filled that building with flammable material, crazy wiring, and allowed renters and parties none of this would have happened. It has little to do with inspections, etc. Even if he had been properly cited and reported, he clearly was determined to do what he wanted and would have fought for his "rights" for years. JMO

If this actually goes to trial, which I highly doubt it will, I predict it will be the shortest jury deliberation in history. They are going to find him guilty so fast it will make his head spin.

 

[LinasK]

Don't have a link handy, but just wanted to let everyone know that Almena has been back in the Bay Area for a few days. Heard it on the local news, he's being held in the Santa Rita jail in Dublin, Alameda County.

The 47-year-old was arrested without any trouble and was being held on $1 million bail Santa Rita Jail in Dublin

Harris, 27, remained in a Los Angeles jail and police refused to accept a jailhouse interview request. He is expected to be transferred to the Bay Area later this week.

http://www.dailynews.com/general-ne...ghbors-we-got-the-ghost-ship-people-next-door



DUBLIN — Hours after he was arrested and charged with the involuntary manslaughter of 36 people in the Ghost Ship inferno, master tenant Derick Almena was driven back to Alameda County and booked into Santa Rita jail Monday night, according to an Alameda County Sheriff’s Office spokesman. Almena, 47, was originally arrested and booked in Lake County, but he was transferred around 4:30 p.m., according to a jail employee. He was booked into the Dublin jail facility at 7 p.m., spokesman Sgt. Ray Kelly said. He arrived in an unmarked white police car, about four hours after he had an initial court appearance in Lake County, following his arrest at his Upper Lake townhome.
Lake County District Attorney Don Anderson said Almena only appeared in court there because he “demanded to be taken to a magistrate,” which was his right after being arrested in a county outside the county where he was alleged to have committed his felony.

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/06/05/derick-almena-returns-to-alameda-county-to-face-ghost-ship-charges/

 

[human]

If Micah does not get arrested, I wonder what she will do for money.

Do the kids get social security while Dad is in prison ? I bet he never paid in,

I can't imagine what kind of job she could do

 

[WVWoman]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nuU9HSbxjf8


Very nice memorial to the ghost ship victims.


[emoji237]Always My Own Opinion[emoji4]