Ghost Ship trial: Big takeaways after prosecution rests its case

[TexasTowelie]

Prosecutors in the Ghost Ship criminal trial rested their case before a jury Wednesday, buttoning up four-plus weeks of methodical testimony in which they sought to show that the two defendants were negligent in throwing a party at an unsanctioned Oakland warehouse before a blaze broke out and killed 36 people.

Autrey James and Casey Bates, prosecutors for the Alameda County district attorney’s office, called to the stand dozens of witnesses — fire survivors, victims’ family members, warehouse tenants, investigators, and police and fire personnel — to drive home one key point: Those who died on Dec. 2, 2016, had “no notice, no time and no exits.”

At stake is the freedom of Derick Almena, 49, and Max Harris, 29, who are both charged with 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter, one for each person killed. Prosecutors have said that Almena, the master tenant of the Ghost Ship warehouse, and Harris, the artists collective’s creative director, ran day-to-day operations in the space and were responsible for overseeing the deadly conditions up until a fire broke out during an electronic music concert.

Cinda Stoddard, an investigator with the district attorney’s office, testified Wednesday that Harris sent emails in which he referred to himself as the “executive director” of the warehouse. Prosecutors seemed intent on focusing on Harris’ role in the fire to close their case, after spending much of the first few weeks documenting Almena’s role as master tenant.

Read more: https://www.sfchronicle.com/crime/article/Ghost-Ship-trial-Big-takeaways-after-prosecution-13942239.php

[emmaverybo]

1. Terrible tragedy. Although Almena and Harris bear responsibility, I find it shocking that the

property owner, off site and remote landlord, is getting off without any liability. She should have been aware, made herself aware, of how her property was being used. She did collect rent. I hope civil action will be taken against her.
City inspectors also failed. They should be held to account. They visited the property but no one was at home, so they simply gave up.
Nothing will compensate survivors for this most awful loss and the indescribable way in which victims perished, but as negligent and reckless as Amena and Harris were, they were not alone in culpability.
Heart out to survivors. May you find comfort and some small measure of justice.