California: New process after fire at techno party with 36 dead

After a devastating fire with 36 dead at a warehouse party in Oakland, California, there is a new lawsuit. Hall's landlord Derick Almena faces another lawsuit for negligent homicide in 36 cases, according to the district court judge in Alameda County.

Almena had leased the "Ghost Ship" warehouse to artists. A first case against him had burst in early September after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict.

The judge had then declared a so-called Mistrial. The co-defendant Max Harris, who organized events in the warehouse, had already been acquitted of the suspicion of negligent homicide. In the case of a guilty verdict, the two men were each held for up to 39 years in prison.

The fire in December 2016 killed 36 people. Even a German living in California was among the victims.

The prosecution had accused the operators in the first trial of having created a veritable fire trap in the two-story building. It could only have been used as a warehouse, but not for living or for events.

The defense argued that the authorities had not complained about security issues. The exact cause of the fire could not be determined.