Two men charged in a deadly blaze that broke out during an underground music event at Oakland’s Ghost Ship warehouse pleaded not guilty Wednesday to 36 felony counts of involuntary manslaughter, paving the way for a preliminary hearing of the evidence in the case.
The defendants, Derick Almena, 47, and Max Harris, 27, briefly appeared in Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland to enter their pleas. They remain in custody at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on $750,000 bond and face up to 39 years in prison each if convicted.