Ghost Ship Fire Trial Verdict: Defense attorney reveals why 3 jurors were dismissed during deliberations

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Thursday, September 5, 2019
Defense attorney reveals reason why 3 Ghost Ship jurors were dismissed
Defense attorney reveals reason why 3 Ghost Ship jurors were dismissedWe finally know the reason why three jurors were booted from the panel last month.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- We finally know the reason why three jurors were removed from the Ghost Ship trial panel last month.

Defense attorney Tony Serra says the jurors were let go because one consulted a firefighter for advice who was not a witness in the case, then shared the information with two other jurors.

The firefighter reportedly said if they had gone into the warehouse in 2014 or Sept. 2016, as the defense contended, they would have had to report the conditions inside and require inspection.

TIMELINE: How the investigation into the deadly Ghost Ship inferno unfolded

Two men were charged for the deaths of 36 people in the Ghost Ship fire, but the investigation put a spotlight on incidents before then that could have prevented the tragedy.

The new jury had been deliberating since Aug. 26. A gag order had originally been placed on the case after the jurors were dismissed.

A verdict was reached on Thursday. Twenty-nine-year-old defendant Max Harris was acquitted on all 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter. The judge declared a mistrial for 49-year-old Derick Almena after the jury was deadlocked 10-2 in favor of conviction.

Thirty-six people were killed in the Dec. 2016 Ghost Ship fire, which broke out during an electronic music show at the artist collective.

Here are the latest stories and videos about the Ghost Ship Fire trial.

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