cameras were not allowed in today, as ktvu fox 2 news for and max harris formalize their plea deals, they each entered 36 no contest please to involuntary manslaughter, one counties for the victims who died, and just jacobson, spent more than 20 minutes reading all 36 charges, and names of those who died, and firming that they indeed pleaded no contest. they will serve out 3.5 more years behind bars, but harris could be out in 23 months, because of credit for time served, and they only had to serve half the time. and at a local jail, as opposed to state prison. the prosecution, and defense attorneys afterwards. here is what they had to say. >> taking responsibility, for their actions, in the death of the individuals on december 2, 2016, they took responsibility for the crime of involuntary manslaughter, which means that they acted negligently in running that building known as the ghost ship. >> it was our family members who perished, there is no punishment they could possibly be adequate. >> to punish someone who had a hand in every level, today that he is able to move forward, but w

. >> reporter: the attorney for max harris says today's plea deal is best for everyone. according to the deal, max harris will be sentenced to 6 years with 4 years unsupervised. derick almena will serve 9 years followed by 5 years supervised. they could be released after serving 50% of their sentence. >> weticite be out in 3 1/2 years. >> reporter: max harris's lawyer says he will be eligible in 23 months. they will serve their time in a jail nearby. >> i would guess it would be santa rita, it could be oakland. >> reporter: it almost didn't happen, no one wanted to compromise. they were convinced that max harris should not serve any time in prison. >> we are committed to the position that max harris is not a criminal and should not be treated like one. >> reporter: the alameda district attorney fought hard for the victims. >> the prosecutor's office was aggressive about their commitment to the victims families and never wavered in their desire to get justice for the victims families and the public. >> reporter: credits the judge for negotiating a deal. >> he expertly med

.>> reporter: the master tenant, derick almena, and max harris, answered no contest for the 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter. some family members wept as they took 20 minutes reading 36 charges the names of those who died. derick almena will serve 3.5 more years behind bars, while harris can be out in 23 months because of credit for time served and they will serve half the time. and also a local jail, instead of state prison. we spoke to a prosecutor, and the defense finally, maharris responsibility for their . tions and the death of 36 they took responsibility for the crime of involuntary manslaughter, which means that they acted negligently in running that welding known as the ghost ship. >> this is a plea that has been entered into as a moral imperative, to eliminate all of the trauma and pain and suffering that everyone who touches this case endures. >> there is so much tragedy on every level in this case, today's a bittersweet day, that max is able to move forward, but we recognize that the families are only beginning there process towards healing, and we also understand tha

"derick almena and max harris. knowing created a fire threat, the inadequately prevented an escape, filled the area with human beings and now they are facing consequences of actions." > derrick almena accused of renting out space in the illegally converted wharehouse... max harris - accused of organizing the dance party the night of the fire. both charged with 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter. (catherine) to this day - no official cause for the fire has been determined. (vicki) now the the huge wildfire burning out of control in northern california. it exploded in size overnight. you can see where the fire is burning in yolo county.. and napa county-- near lake berryessa. so far it's burned 70-thousand acres and is just five-percent contained. more than 900 buildings are threatened tonight... and at least 25-hundred people have been told to leave their homes. three of those areas under evacuation advisories are in napa county. kron 4's will tran reports. .. .. thousands of firefighters are thousands of thousan

max harris agreed to 6.ed and good behavior they could be out sooner. >> we have team coverage starting with kpix 5 melissa kane. >> reporter: the maximum sentence for involuntary manslaughter is 4 years. each of these men was facing 36 separate accounts, one for each of the persons that died in the fire. today, they both entered a plea agreement which allows them to potentially be released in a couple of years. >> they could have been in prison for the rest of their lives. >> reporter: the attorney for max harris says today's plea deal is best for everyone. according to the deal, max harris will be sentenced to 6 years with 4 years unsupervised. derick almena will serve 9 years followed by 5 years supervised. they could be released after serving 50% of their sentence. >> weticite be out in 3 1/2 years. >> reporter: max harris's lawyer says he will be eligible in 23 months. they will serve their time in a jail nearby. >> i would guess it would be

curtis briggs, attorney representing max harris, ghost ship plea deal. he is sorry this happened.rosecutors... they defended the deal;, adding, in the end, this was an agreement they felt would best serve all of those who died that fateful night. alameda co. asst da ((vicki/ots))earlier today defense attorney bill fazio joined us in studio.he breaksdown what the involuntary manslaughter charge means for derrick almenna and max harris. ((vicki)) fazio went on to say that the judge has to accept this plea. they can reject it and tell the prosecutor and defense attorney to come back with another deal. however, he says generally...that doesn't happen. (ken) in national news tonight... the trump administration is planning to rescind a set of obama-era policies that promoted the use of race in college admissions. it comes as the department of justice investigates whether harvard university discriminates against asian-americans in its admissions process. the trump administration is specifically rescinding documents that laid out recommendations and guidelines for schools aiming to promot

dion and dan, there will be no trial for the ghost ship warehouse fire, two men derick almena and max harris could have faced almost 40 years in prison. instead, both agreed to a plea deal which happened moments ago. almena, the master tenant, will serve nine years in prison. harris, the creative director, will serve six years, both pleaing to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter, the tragic fire happened at a concert in december of 2016. >> this is a plea that's been entered into as a moral imperative, to eliminate all of the trauma and pain and suffering that everyone who touches this case endures. >> the city of oakland botched this entire situation. when the ghost ship fire happened there was 300 warehouses just like ghost ship. there was thousands of people exposed to those warehouses that were in danger. and it's onlyecse of lk not happen. >> reporter: both men will have the ability to serve halftime with good behavior and time served, making the earliest release date as soon as 23 months. judge morris jacobson set a sentencing date of august 9th and august 10th, giving victims' famil

"derick almena and max harris. knowing created a fire threat, the inadequately prevented an escape, filled the area with human beings and now they are facing actions." > derrick almena accused of renting out space in the illegally converted wharehouse... max harris - accused of organizing the dance party the night of the fire. both charged with 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter. (pam) to this day - no official cause for the fire has been lawrence today were in the 70s and 80s inland with 50s and 60s at the coast. fires continue to burn bringing more smoke to bay area skies. poor air quality will continue for the central and southern san joaquin valley. on the satellite a low pressure system in the gulf of alaska will move south off the coast by tomorrow. that will bring stronger onshore winds and increase the amount of moisture in the atmosphere which should slow bay area fires. with a more westerly wing we can expect improving air quality and cooler temperatures for the 4th of july. it will likely be foggy alo

"derick almena and max harris.knowing created a fire threat, the inadequately prevented an escape, filled the area with human beings and now they are facing consequences of actions." > derrick almena accused of renting out space in the illegally converted wharehouse... max harris - accused of organizing the dance party the night of the fire. both charged with 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter. ( james )to this day - no official cause for the fire has been determined. ( james )still ahead on the kron four morning news... police investigate a homicide in one east bay community. details on the suspect they have in custody next. ( james ) and here's a live look outside... at the golden gate bridge. the hollywood minute is coming up after the break. (ácommercialá) ( james ) here's a look at the bay bridge. ( james ) here's a live look at the san mateo bridge. ( james ) here's a look at the golden gate bridge... ( james ) here's a live look outside at the richmond bridge. a seasonably cool weather pattern will persis

. >> today plea deals were announced for derick almena and max harris. almena illegally converted the warehouse. harris organized the concert that took place the night of the fire. >> tonight we do have team coverage on both the sentences these men will serve, and how the victims' families are reacting to the news. >> let's begin here with abc 7 news reporter cornell bernard. cornell? >> there will be no trial in the ghost ship warehouse tragedy. it took a judge more than a half an hour to read the names of 36 victims. two defendants pleading no contest to three dozen counts of involuntary manslaughter. >> we have a max harris. i would just like to extend my condolences to the family. >> reporter: attorneys for two defendants say their clients are remorseful for the tragic fire which claimed 36 lives. two men, derick almena and max harris could have faced almost 40 years in prison. instead both agreed to a plea deal. almena, the ghost ship warehouse master tenant, will serve nine years in prison. harris, the artist collective's creative director will ser

derick almena and max harris...ontest to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter for the 2016 fire that resulted in the deaths of 36 people. as a part of the plea deal... the two men avoided not only a lengthy trial... but also the possibility of life sentences. kron4's terisa estacio reports in oakland with the latest developments. brian getz, derick almena atty, ghost ship plea deal. 9 years is a lot, he will think a lot about what happened to those people. attorneys for master tenant of the ghost ship derick almena defending the plea agreement announced in court tuesday. curtis briggs, attorney for max harris. it is a bittersweet day. but for family members of those who died in the fire... they had a very different take on the agreement. david gregory, daughter michaela died in fire. "good that thety plead, but the sentence not enough. during the hearing today, all 36 names of the victims were read out loud in court... some family members wept, and wiped away tears... another reason it was a rough day, some thought

. >> reporter: max harris's lawyers say he will be eligible in 23 months. brian goetz, an attorney for one says they will serve their time in a jail nearby. >> i guess it would be santa rita, it could be oakland city. >> reporter: the fact that they will be held in a jail or prison nearby was part of the plea deal. one of the defendants has three young children and presumably being nearby so that they can visit is a big part of why he agreed to this deal. coming up at 6 pm, we show you exactly why this deal did not happen, alan? >>> we understand this includes some type of restitution to the victims families? >> reporter: that is right, $310,000 in total. according to the attorneys, that will represent the burial costs for the 36 victims of the fire. >> thanks. >>> kpix 5 reporter, emily turner, continues the coverage and even with restitution, not everyone is happy with this deal . >> reporter: it was an emotional day in the courtroom, they went through all of the names and the victims families were exhausted and did not want to talk to the media after we

late friday afternoon, a plea deal was reached for both defendants, derick almena and max harris, howeverys the deals are not the same, and attorneys were not permitted to give details.earlier in the day almena's attorney tony serra said he would accept an 8 year sentence meaning his client would do another 3 years behind bars. sot tony serra/derick almena's attorney 25-35what is appropriate, from my perspective credit for time served, he walks, but that is not happening he will have to endure another 3 years and i hope he perservereswe don't know that's the deal that was ultimately agreed upon following 2 hours of negotiation between the judge, the da and the two defendants attorneys. but if it it, it's one the attorney for the families of 12 fire victims could acceptsot mary alexander/attorney for families of fire victims 55-105 to have that kind of time in jail when they were the ones that were on thegroudn and planned this place and allowwed the event to occur , it is very satifsying to have them held criminally accountable.36 people were killed in the december 2016 blaze. almena's at

and max harris are likely to spend behind bars. >>> explosive growth. crews race to gain control of this massive wild for -- wildfire. >> the fires are burning differently than they have in the past. >> how smoke and ash from the county fire led to an air quality warning in the bay area.>>> tourism trouble. a major medical association pulls its annual convention out of san francisco because some members don't feel safe walking the streets. >> this has huge ramifications. >> how the tourism industry could take a hit.>>> it has been another very busy day for fire crews. welcome everyone. >> crews on moraga road is scrambling to try to protect homes from the flames. we are getting updates on this developing story. this three alarm fire prompted officials to evacuate about 20 homes on buckingham drive near moraga road where the fire was reported just after 130 -- 1:30 pm. 15 acres have burned, but the good news is that this fire is now 50% contained. here is a map showing the location of the fire. again, 20 homes have been evacuated. authorities urge people

max harris, the artist, creative director, artist collective creative director gets six years. both men pled no contest to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter in the tragic fire which killed 36 people in 2016. attorneys for both men say their clients are remorseful. >> it's not what i would call devastating, and my client is a prisoner who has fulfilled all of his duties and obligations. so we anticipate that he will be out in 3 1/2 years. >> there's no punishment that could possibly be adequate to punish someone who had a hand in the tragedy. but the legal system looks at all different aspects of the situation and tries to reach a result that's fair and just. >> today's a bittersweet day that max is able to move forward. but we also recognize that the families are only beginning their process towards healing. and we also understand that they may never get there. >> now, both men will have the ability to serve halftime with good behavior and time served, making the earliest release date as soon as 23 months. judge morris jacobson set a sentencing date of august 9th and 10th,

event promoter max harris agreed to six. christin ayers says they will be free long before that. >>> reporter: derick almena and max harris the only two people convicted criminally in the deaths of 36 people in the ghost ship warehouse fire are expected to serve about 2 and 3 years behind bars, respectively. the families of the victims say that is not justice. >> today, finally, mr. almena and mr. harris have taken responsibility for their actions in indivis. orter:master tenant of the ghost ship warehouse and harris his second in command, pleaded guilty after no contest. but almena's lawyer says with probation and time served -- >> we anticipate that he will be out in 3.5 years. >> reporter: harris could be out in less than 2. the father of one of the victims, mckayla gregory said that is not enough. >> we just want some justice, some fair justice. and we don't feel that, in our opinion, that was fair justice. >> reporter: david gregory and other families were in the courtroom as a judge spent nearly half-hour reading the n

max harris would get six years. oath would likely get out sooner.ere to tell us more. >> reporter: this is a new offer that has changed within hours of debate in the courthouse on friday. now, new terms, specifically change the number of years each of the two men would spend behind bars. initially, both men were offered eight years in jail. now, we have learned of the new offer. derek almena would have to agree to nine years and max harris just six. both are facing 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter for the 36 lives claimed in the fire. over the weekend, the families received an email from the alameda county district attorney laying out the details of that plea offer. because both men will earn credit for timed -- time served and good behavior, it would end up being about half that time for each of them. almena told us in an exclusive interview that he wanted to save the victim's families from pain and suffering. he also said, he would rather take the fall and not blame anyone else. >> i know that i'm not the big dog in this. it is not all about

and, the artist collective creator -- creative director, max harris, will be sentenced to three.ith credit for time served and good behavior, their time behind bars will be much left. >>> the family feels that justice has not been served. this is not the end. there is also a large civil case that aims to holds -- hold the building's owners, pg&e and the county's accountable. >>> obviously, we know that the victims relatives are pointing the finger at the city of oakland and the owner of the building, as well as pg&e. of new developments. the city of oakland responding to the civil lawsuit. >> what is interesting, i just sat down with a civil attorney for an interview a couple of hours ago. what we learned is, that derek l mena and max harris both are agreeing to help in the civil case. they can speak openly and freely about that case entirely, because now that they have accepted that plea, they can say whatever they want. that will help against the building's owner. that would help against the city. and, derek l mena actually has written letters, not only to family members, but a

max harris, the artist, creative director, artist collective creative director gets six years. men pled no contest to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter in the tragic fire which killed 36 people in 2016. attorneys for both men say their clients are remorseful. >> it's not what i would call devastating, and my client is a prisoner who has fulfilled all of his duties and obligations. so we

late friday afternoon, a plea deal was reached for both defendants, derick almena and max harris, however harris' attorney says the deals are not the same, and attorneys were not permitted to give details.earlier in the day almena's attorney tony serra said he would accept an 8 year sentence meaning his client would do another 3 years behind bars. sot tony serra/derick almena's attorney 25-35what is attorney 25-35 what is appropriate, from my perspective credit for time served, he walks, but that is not happening he will have to endure another 3 years and i hope he perservereswe don't know that's the deal that was ultimately agreed upon following 2 hours of negotiation between the judge, the da and the two defendants attorneys. but if it it, it's one the attorney for the families of 12 fire victims could acceptsot mary alexander/attorney for families of fire victims 55-105 to have that kind of time in jail when they were the ones that were on thegroudn and planned this place and allowwed the event to occur , it is very satifsying to have them held criminally accountable.36 people were kil

derick almena will get nine years and max harris will be sentenced to six.will each get credit fo tid ti off foeal plead no conte 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter for the december 2016 fire. prosecutors say they were criminally negligent by holding the unlicensed music party at the warehouse nicknamed the ghost ship. the fire broke out during that party. it was an artists' community, where several people said they lived, though that was also illegal. the warehouse was full of wood construction, including a second floor where dozens were trapped during the fire. a lawyer representing some of the families say they are relieved. >> to have them go to jail and not have to go through a trial is something that i think is important to them. >> that trial was supposed to start later this summer. both defendants are due in this >>> in boise, a suspect faces multiple murder charges after a stabbing rampage at a kids' birthday party. a crowd gathered for a vigil yesterday. police say timmy kinner stabbed nine people including six children over the weekend. a 3-yea

cameras were not allowed in today, as ktvu fox 2 news for and max harris formalize their plea deals,st please to involuntary manslaughter, one counties for the victims who died, and just jacobson, spent more than 20 minutes reading all 36 charges, and names of those who died, and firming that they indeed pleaded no contest. they will serve out 3.5 more years behind bars, but harris could be out in 23

. >> al menna could actually be released in as little as three and a half years, and max harris? could be out no lein less than . our investigative unit started looking into the ghost ship fire when it first broke out and has been following the fallout over the last 18 months. to check out the story, go mano arrest, accused of killing his own mother. investigators are evidence. apparently it started this morning about 10:30. officers went to the area over reports of someone breaking into cars. they arrested matthew redmond. they were led to his mother's home where they found her body. >> it's quiet. everybody keeps to themselves. everyone kind of knows everyone. we've had turnover lately. it's a quiet place. there's never been issue, ever. >> the police say red moppmond at the home with his mother and younger brother. >>> a suspected arsonist is under arrest tonight. they've arrested domingo batista, who's homele a series of fires. they believe batista is responsible for starting 13th. a witness picked him out of a photo lineup. >>> and the county fire is now the size of fresno.

master tenant derick almena and creative director max harris... plead no contest to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter for the 2016 fire that resulted in the deaths of 36 people.(pam) in doing so, the men avoided... not only a lengthy trial... but also the possibility of life sentences. kron4's terisa estacio .. in oakland with the latest developments tonight. brian getz, derick almena atty, ghost ship plea deal. 9 years is a lot, he will think a lot about what happened to those people. attorneys for master tenant of the ghost ship derick almena defending the plea agreement announced in court tuesday. curtis briggs, attorney for max harris. it is a bittersweet day. but for family members of those who died in the fire... they had a very different take on the agreement. david gregory, daughter michaela died in fire. "good that thety plead, but the sentence not enough. during the hearing today, all 36 names of the victims were read out loud in court... some family members wept, and wiped away tears... another reason it was a rough day, some though

master tenant derick almena agreed to 9 years behind bars, six years for event promoter max harris. both pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter. 36 people died when the unpermitted work-live space in oakland went up in flames in december of 2016. >>> in thailand, rescue efforts could start as early as tomorrow for a youth soccer team trapped in a flooded cave. officials say the 12 boys and their coach may need to stay in the cave until floodwaters recede or use scuba gear to swim out. >>> back in the states americans are celebrating the 4th of july. president trump will mark the day hosting a picnic on the south lawn of the white house for some military shows across the country and here in the bay area. >>> in san francisco, we are hoping for clear skies by the time the fireworks start tonight. the show starts at 9:30 p.m. at pier 39. the marin county fair's fireworks show also starts at 9:30 tonight and in the south bay, fireworks will be launch over great america in santa clara at 9:45. >>> happy 4th of july. i'm jessica flores in danville where there's hundreds of chairs

can't talk about >> the ghost ship's master tenant would be sentenced to nine years in jail while max harris wou be sentenced to six years. >> you have the death of 36 people. that is a horrible tragedy. what the judge is saying this was a criminal negligence case. no one wanted this to happen. >> legal analyst steven clark says the judge likely acknowledges that others are responsible for the 2016 fire including the city of oakland which let the ghost ship operate without the proper permits despite conditions inside. >> the civil case against the landlord and other governmental entities can move forward and that can bring restitution to the victims' families. >> a plea deal would avoid a jury trial which is scheduled to begin july 16th and would last up to four months. >>> now, you can be the first to know if a plea deal is reached by downloading our free abc 7 news app and enabling push alerts. we'll also bring the verdict live. >>> an enormous wildfire saturday nearly doubled in size today. the county fire is now at 60,000 acres and has spread to napa and lake countys. firefighters spent

max harris got six and should be out in less than two years. >> three or four years and two years withnted some justice. fair justice. >> defense attorneys insist justice has been served and their clients are also hurting. >> he accepts responsibility for what he did. what he did and feels very badly about what happened. >> max has been and will always be paying for what happened. >> on december 2nd, 2016, a fire broke out in a party on the building's second floor. there were no fire extinguishers and the only escape route was down a narrow makeshift wooden staircase. >> they're acted negligently. >> if the case had gone to trial, they had lost and they could have spent the rest of their lives in prison. meantime there has been a call for action since the go ship fire. there were eight fire inspectors on staff. by the end of the year, there will be 20. abc 7 news. >> oakland mayor released a statement in support of the victims saying oakland will forever mourn the beautiful lives lost in the fire. as we move through the judicial process, we respect the agreements reached among the atto

and max harris, the creative director, would be sentenced to six years.y ia scheduled to begin on july 16th. and be the first to know if a plea deal has been reached by downloading the free abc 7 news app. and we'll bring you verdict information on abc7news.com and online. >> now, a live desk update. >> brand-new at this hour, we have just learned the president has ordered flags be flown at half staff in honor of the five victims of the shooting at the capital gazette newspaper in annapolis, maryland. this is a live picture. it's a little far away so i'm going to zoom in here. you can see that flag right now at half staff. it will be flown this way until sunset today. this comes after the white house initially turned down the request for the honor for those victims. but abc news is reporting that when president trump heard ofei ately orded see those at half staff throughout the day. and an example here from the white house this morning. back to you. >> jessica, thank you. >> crowd funding raised more than $10 million for victims a families of those who di

the co defendant, max harris would get six years. with time already served and good behavior both men could end up serving about half of that. >>> one man was killed and another hurt in a shooting. sheriff's deputies say they found a pickup truck stopped along highway 101 at 4:30 of willits. inside the truck they found two men with gun shot wounds. one was dead, the other was taken to the hospital with what is described as life threatening injuries. at this point there is no word on a suspect or a motive in the case. >>> an attack planned for the 4th of july stopped. the details of the man with possible bay area connections who is accused of planning that attack. >> and the highest court in california sides with yelp. more on the call to remove a negative review. >> outside the doors this morning joined by the clouds, the on shore breeze and temperatures on the cool side. we will have a look at what you can expect for today, your holiday and the weekend coming up. . >>> welcome back. the wildfire called the county fire continues to g

nine years for derek almena and six years for max harris . >> 36 lives. >> what more would you hope for? >> we just wanted some fair justice. >> what would that have looked like? >> you know not to be four years or two years with time served. we just wanted some fair justice. we don't feel that in our opinion that was fair justice. >> the prosecution said avoiding a trial would spare the families pain but gregory was the only family member to speak publicly today and saw it differently. his daughter had gone to a dance party but ended up dying in the arms of her boyfriend. all that happened in between -- wasn't clear two -- gregory. in court the judge read the names of the victims one by one to almena and harris and some family members broke out in sobs when their child's name was spoken . >> each name was a life and a family, and now we are going to proceed with the civil case, and to hold others accountable as well. >> mary alexander is an attorney representing meme -- many of the families in an upcoming civil lawsuit.>> today is a day that the families have some small sense of justic

the mastermind derick almena got 10 years behind bars and max harris pleaded to six. they plead no contest to involuntary manslaughter yesterday. 36 people died when the workspace went up in flames in december of 2016. with probation and time served, harris could be out of prison in less than two years. almena could be free in about three. >>> president trump is remembering those who fought for the nation's independence this 4th of july. >> today as we celebrate the 4th of july with friends and family, let us never forget that our freedom has been earned through the blood and sweat and sacrifice of american rerow -- heros. >> the president is hosting a picnic for military families at the white house today. >>> a new report concluded that russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election in favor of donald trump. the bipartisan committee said it came to the same conclusion as the u.s. intelligence committee that russia deliberately helped mr. trump and the operation was ordered by president putin. president trump and republicans on the house intelligence committee have

max harris would be sentenced to six years. >> protesters are outside i.c.e. headquarters this morning in san francisco. demonstrators showed up yesterday to demand an end to family separations. >> number five, from our live desk, this is a live look at thailand where crews are right now trying to rescue a youth soccer team and their coach from a cave. i also do want to show you some new video from overnight. this is where they are. we learned this morning thatt the rescue operation could take several months, and overnight, those kids were given four months of supplies. >> number six, we have an extremely quiet morning on the roadways. here's a live look at the bay bridge toll plaza, and no metering lights yet. we're light all the way around and incident free approaching 5:30. >> and number seven, yikes. tech crunch says a glitch with some samsung galaxy phones is causing them to send your entire photo library to random people in your contact list. to stop the problem, you have to disable the samsung messages app. >> horrifying. it's awful. i can't -- >> so yo

. >> al menna could actually be released in as little as three and a half years, and max harris? could be out no lein less than . our investigative unit started looking into the ghost ship fire when it first broke out and has been following the fallout over the last 18 months. to check out the story, go mano arrest, accused of killing his own mother. investigators are evidence. apparently it started this morning about 10:30. officers went to the area over reports of someone breaking into

max harris, the artist collective's creative director will be sentenced to six years. this would avoid a jury trial scheduled to begin july 16. be the first to know if a deal is reached by downloading our news yapp and enable push alert. or watch us on line at abc7news.com. >>> street racers in the south bay are getting bolder. while side shows usually happen in the middle of the night, they're popping up during the day. this year the chp introduced specialized training for its officers focused on combatting the problem on bay area freeways. agencies have plan to meet every other quarter to put the brakes on the bad habit. they involve law enforcement and neighbors and they connect car clubs. >> the community is essential and important in helping us find out who these street racers are and presenting loss of life. >> the chp says officers have responded to several sideshow calls and have been successful in stopping attempted freeway takeovers. and the chp will be out in full force to make it a safe fourth of july. they will be watching for people who took the celebrati

max harris, the concert promoter will serve six years and each will plead no contest to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter for the 2016 fire. prosecutors say they were criminally negligent and the trial was supposed to start later this summer. >>> there is a second arrest in the case of stolen show dogs. police arrested billy joe patterson. his alleged accomplice, benjamin larson was arrested last week. they stole a van with 14 show dogs inside the van. the dogs were on their way to compete in the bay area. the van and dogs were found the next day and the animals were not hurt. >>> laptop thieves have been hitting bay area cafes over and over again. now police in berkeley caught a break, with video that led to an arrest. >> reporter: this is cafe strata, a popular place for folks to come work on their laptops. unfortunately it's also a target for thieves. >> we have made a number of arrests but the crime keeps happening. >> reporter: video of a robbery last tuesday shows a man ambling into the cafe, puts his arms in the air as if to say he's innocent, then snatches a laptop and ru

derek almena and max harris were arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter.almena's lawyer says his client has agreed to an 8-year prison term. the deals are ánot the same for harris and almena. details of the plea deals will be announced this afternoon... when the defendants return to court. ( james ) new this morning... santa clara county officials are warning people about a property scam targeting homeowners. they say that people are receiving pamphlets in the mail that look like official mail from the county. the pamphlets offer people their property deeds and a value assessment for 89-dollars. the county says those pamphlets are fake and that assessment information is free and property deeds cost just 6- dollars online. ( james ) in the north bay... the colorado gunman who killed one man and hurt two relatives in santa rosa... has died from his injuries. 65-year-old walter ross shot himself in the head. authorities say ross barged into his son's home with guns and explosives... looking for his estranged wife. she wasn't there... but ross shot and killed

derick almena and max harris... pleaded no contest to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter. could be sentenced to nine years in prison .. while harris faces six years. some believe the plea agreements were not tough enough. ( darya ) police in san francisco arrest a man carrying this gun into the civic center bart station. police say the gun was loaded with an illegal, high capacity magazine. the man who was carrying it was from san leandro and was prohibited from carrying an gun because of his criminal history. ( james ) a big story we are following this morning... president trump could make his decision on the next supreme court justice as early as today. but the official announcement will not come until next week. jeff zeleny takes a closer look at who that next supreme court justice could be. president trump is only hours away from finalizing his choice for the supreme court. president donald trump"i've spent the last 3 days interviewing and thinking about supreme court justices. it's such an important decision."tonight, cnn has learned the president is poised to make hi

on friday, derek almena and max harris were in court. both of them face 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter. one count for each person who died in the fire. sources tell us that lawyers for the men are finalizing separate plea agreements with the judge which means the case will not go to trial. the hearing resumes on tuesday. prosecutors say almena illegally converted the warehouse into a residential space and harris planned the party that brought dozens of people there on the night of the fire. by taking plea deals, the men could avoid potential life sentences. >>> new at 6:00, san diego lyft driver accused of stabbing a passenger overnight. police say the 33-year-old man was driving three people around 1:00 this morning when the passengers couldn't decide where they wanted to be dropped off. so things escalated into an argument. that's when investigators say i. lyft fired the driver who is set to be formally charged on thursday. >>> tesla is now producing its highly anticipated model 3s at a faster rate than even the company hoped fo

rand the warehouse struck a deal with the d.a., derek almena got nine years, likely serve 3 1/2, max harris got 6, but should be out in less than two years. >> to be four years or two years with time served, you know, but we just want some justice, some fair justice. >> reporter: defense attorneys insist justice has been served and their clients are also hurting. >> he accepts responsibility for what he did, and feels very badly about what happened. >> max has been and will always be paying for what happened. >> reporter: on december 2nd, 2016, a fire broke out during a party on the building's second floor. there were no fire extinguishers and the only escape route was down a narrow makeshift wooden staircase. >> they acted negligencely in running that building known as the ghost ship. >> reporter: if the case had gone to trial almena and harris had lost, they could have spent the rest of their lives in prison. there's always been a call for action from the city of oakland since the ghost ship fire. at the time there were eight fire inspectors on staff. by the end of this year, there will b

derick almena will get a nine-year sentence, max harris a six-year sentence. both men face 36 counts, one for each person who died in that fire. the plea deal means the case will not go to trial. >>> well, the fbi arrested a man in ohio for plotting a fourth of july attack, but chilling court documents reveal that he talked about looking for targets here in san francisco. nbc bay area's jean elleoins us live in the city with more on that threat and what we can expect security-wise and safety-wise wednesday night on the fourth of july, jean. >> reporter: thousands of people are expected here at pier 39 on wednesday night for the big fireworks show. the fbi tells us it is expecting a safe event,ust this weekend, who recently talked about flying here to san francisco to families from near and far are already in san francisco to celebrate america's independence. >> i'm just here with my family. >> fourth of july with my boyfriend. >> reporter: the big fourth of july party is wednesday at pier 39. a date the fbi is tuned into. >> we look at events of significance,

derick almena and max harris... pleaded no contest to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter. almena could be sentenced to nine years in prison .. while harris faces six years. some relatives believe the plea agreements were not tough enough. in the south bay.... police are still looking for one of three people accused of stealing ten- thousand dollars in bitcoin currency. police say three people stole a computer from a home on fourth street with 10-thousand dollars worth of the cryptocurreny. santa clara police have identified two suspects as 18 year old yessica barajas of san jose and 24 yaer old welbar quintanilla of san jose. deputies have not been able to locate the third suspect or the missing computer. (lydia) police in san francisco arrest a man carrying this gun into the civic center bart station. police say the gun was loaded with an illegal, high capacity magazine. the man who was carrying it was from san leandro and was prohibited from carrying an gun because of his criminal history. (lydia)a stockton family is trying to warn others about an underwater danger... hid

. >> today plea deals were announced for derick almena and max harris. illegally converted the warehouse. harris organized the concert that took place the night of the fire. >> tonight we do have team coverage on both the sentences these men will serve, and how the victims' families are reacting to the news. >> let's begin here with abc 7 news reporter cornell bernard. cornell? >> there will be no trial in the ghost ship warehouse

derick almena and max harris... pleaded no contest to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter earlier this week. almena could be sentenced to nine years in prison.... while harris is facing six years. some relatives believe .... the plea agreements were not tough enough. coming up at eight.. how east bay police are cracking down on fireworks by using 'shot spotter' technology. plus. tense moments as a protester climbs the statue of liberty... leading to a four hour standoff with police. . and next ... a party around the bay area this evening ... as people gather for july-4th celebrations a look at some of the big events - next. just when you thought you were done painting... ...you discover paint bleed under your tape... not with frogtape! frogtape is the only painter's tape treated with patented paintblock technology. paintblock reacts with the water in latex paint to form a micro-barrier against paint bleed, giving you the sharpest lines possible. get professional results with frogtape... no messy lines, no paint bl

max harris would get six years and almena would get nine years. both would likely get half that time for time served and good behavior. >>> police in san francisco are investigating the shooting death of a 61-year-old chute -- security guard. the victim had just started his shift at a housing complex near the old side of candlestick park. >> reporter: the security guard was just half an hour into his shift when he was shot and killed just before 5:30 am. he was on duty at the housing complex. >> officers received a call about two shots being fired -- two shots being fired and a person down. >> reporter: police don't have a motive whether it was a robbery or if romero had confronted a criminal. residents say they were shocked and saddened that someone they relied on to keep them safe lost his life. >> it is terrible. it just does not make any sense. >> you don't expect a security guard to get shot.>> reporter: police hope surveillance video will lead to an arrest. >> we are canvassing the area and looking for any footage we can to help us get some

derick almena will be sentenced to nine years and max harris will get six. they will each get credit for time served plus time off for good behavior. each will plead no contest to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter for the fire in december 2016. prosecutors say they were criminally negligent by holding the unpermitted music party at the warehouse nicknamed the ghost ship. it was an artists' community where several people said they lived, though that was also illegal. the warehouse was full on wood construction, including a second floor where dozens were trapped during the fire. a lawyer representing many of the families says they are relieved to avoid a painful trial. >> the families are pleased they are being held accountable and will spend time in jail. >> the trial was supposed to start later this summer. the judge brokered a package deal, meaning both defendants agreed to it. they are due in court at 2:00 this afternoon. >> what are we hearing from their lawyers? >> they have agreed not to talk until after the plea agreement is made official, which wi

derick almena and max harris both face dozens of involuntary manslaught >>> 7:56.today in the ghost ship fire. derick almena and max harris will face dozens of involuntary manslaughter charges. >>> in lake county, the pawnee fire has burned almost 15,000 acres. it's 80% contained. crews are hoping to take advantage of lowering temperatures and higher humidity. >>> health care groups are pushing for a statewide soda tax on the 2020 ballot to pay for public health programs. the proposal, 2 cents per fluid ounce and that would not apply to diet sodas. traffic and weather in just a moment. >>> good morning, 7:57. we are tracking slowdowns for drivers along 280 through a loo saratoga. in the northbound direction, we have a crash near stevens creek boulevard. it's definitely causing that backup almost to 87. so that's about 24 minutes along that stretch. we have 12 minutes between 85 and 101. heading over to the bay bridge toll plaza, not bad. no backup at the maze heading into the city, just a little sluggish. neda? >>> waking up to a few clouds out there. looking towar

the defendants derick almena and max harris pleaded no contest . almena received 9 years in jail.was given 6 years. the trial was scheduled to begin in two weeks but the plea deal spares the family of the and half more years behind bars than harris who could be out in 23 months because of credit for time served and good behavior. the two men will serve that time most likely in jail instead of prison. >> they have taken responsibility for their actions in the death of 36 individuals on december 2, 2016. they took responsibility for the crime of involuntary manslaughter. that means that they acted negligently in running that building known as the ghost ship. >> the sentencing is august 9 and august 10. family members of the victims are expected to give impact statements. as part of the plea deals, almena and harris cannot appeal. >>> several family members went to court yesterday to hear the plea agreement in person. th >> 36 lives . >> it wasn't enough. >> what more would you hope for? >> we just wanted some fair justice. >> what does that mean? >> you know, not to be 4 years or 2

. >> the master tenant and codefendant max harris entered no contest please 236 counts of involuntary manna -- to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter. the judge took more than 20 minutes reading all the charges and names of those who died. al mena will actually only served 3 1/2 warriors behind bars while harris could be out in 23 months because of time served. they will also serve at a local jail, most likely dublin instead of state prison. we spoke to a prosecutor and the defense attorneys afterward . >> finally mr. al mena and mr. harris are taking responsibility for their actions in the deaths of 36 individuals on december 2, 2016. they took responsibility for the crime of involuntary manslaughter, which means they acted negligently in running that building known as the ghost ship. >> this is a plea that has been entered into as a moral imperative, to eliminate all the trauma and pain and suffering that everyone touches this case -- that touches this case indoors. >> there is so much tragedy on this at every level. today is a bittersweet day that max is able to move forward, but