leslie brinkly explains. >> this is the first time a judge has acknowledged that our defense has merit. >> reporter: harris' attorney offer said to help pay for harris to be released. harris along with derek almenna, the founder of the arts collective known as ghost ship are each charged with 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter for the fatal fire back in december 2016. today a judge turned down a motion to dismiss those charges. almena's wife believes her husband is being scapegoated. >> i'm really disappointed the motion got dismissed today. i don't think that was right. >> reporter: but almenna will have a chance to speak in court. >> we intend at trial to put our client on. so he will be testifying and testifying on his own behalf. >> reporter: attorneys are also pushing for an evidentiary hearing before a trial judge. >> they botched the investigation, failed to preserve the crime scene and then they released all of the contents to the owner. the owner is essentially giving the murder weapon back to had suspect. >> reporter: harris will be back in court may 24th for his bail hear

leslie brinkly was in court for today's plea and what it means for the second suspect in this case. >> reporter: her father sat in disbelief as he took in the news that one of the two suspects accused of murdering izhad daughter was entering a guilty plea in court. the 19-year-old solemnly faced the judge today and his jail house guard as the charges were read aloud. and then he loudly replied murder, guilty. assault with a deadly weapon, guilty. causing great bodily harm, guilty. the charges could potentially put him away in prison for life. >> it is his hope and his wish that his decision to take responsibility today will bring some level of peace and closure to her family and their loved one. >> reporter: uraler in the day his pregnant fiance entered a not guilty plea to same murder. it was back in february that the 19-year-old was found mortally wounded and crawling along a rural stretch in livermore. she had been stabbed repeatedly. she later died at the hospital after giving authorities she said the names of the two people who stabbed her. shaken family members declined to comme