Name: Coronavirus: Judge decides to release Ghost Ship defendant Derick Almena
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Coronavirus: Judge decides to release Ghost Ship defendant Derick Almena

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This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateThe Alameda County judge presiding over the Ghost Ship fire case has decided to release defendant Derick Almena while he awaits a new trial, requesting he instead be placed in a community monitoring program.Judge Trina Thompson’s action comes after California judicial leaders on Monday for defendants charged with misdemeanors and most nonviolent felonies, their latest round of emergency orders intended to stem the threat of coronavirus outbreaks behind bars.Almena, who turns 50 next week, is scheduled for a court teleconference Friday and could be released as early as this weekend, said Vincent Barrientos, one of Almena’s defense attorneys. Almena has spent nearly three years at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, after he was charged with 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter in the Dec. 2, 2016, Ghost Ship fire that killed three dozen people during a warehouse party.Barrientos said Santa Rita Jail’s in-house medical staff produced a report that said Almena’s psychological, physiological and physical health were in jeopardy while the defendant remained behind bars.Ghost Ship Trial“Meaning that if there was a COVID outbreak in the jail, Mr. Almena would be in big trouble,” Barrientos said.Teresa Drenick, a spokeswoman for the Alameda County district attorney’s office, said prosecutors will seek a specific order that Almena have no contact with the victims of the case or any witnesses.“The district attorney’s office has consistently sought to have Mr. Almena remain in custody pending trial, and we have opposed every effort to release Mr. Almena to date,” Drenick said. “We strongly disagree with the court’s decision to release Mr. Almena from custody on electronic monitoring.”Jail officials on Wednesday announced eight new coronavirus cases among its inmates, for a total of 11 cases. Seven tests are still pending.In response to the pandemic, officials have already released hundreds of inmates from Santa Rita and other jails, where close quarters put inmates at greater risk for infection.Thompson is requesting that Almena be placed with Leaders in Community Alternatives, an Oakland-based company that provides services for electronic monitoring and house arrest.Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Area’s largest water districts.Barrientos said Almena would essentially be placed on house arrest if he is freed, meaning that he could only leave home to attend court proceedings. His attorneys on Friday will request Almena be given additional access to visit with his lawyers.Almena is currently incarcerated on $750,000 bail.Thompson’s request is a reversal from another order last week, when she declined to grant the defense’s emergency motion to release Almena due to coronavirus concerns. Thompson has postponed Almena’s retrial until July 6, also in response to the growing pandemic.A new trial was originally scheduled for April, after a jury in September . Co-defendant who faced the same three dozen charges of involuntary manslaughter as Almena, .Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: Twitter:Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Area’s largest water districts.

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateThe Alameda County judge presiding over the Ghost Ship fire case has decided to release defendant Derick Almena while he awaits a new trial, requesting he instead be placed in a community monitoring program.Judge Trina Thompson’s action comes after California judicial leaders on Monday for defendants charged with misdemeanors and most nonviolent felonies, their latest round of emergency orders intended to stem the threat of coronavirus outbreaks behind bars.Almena, who turns 50 next week, is scheduled for a court teleconference...

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Megan Cassidy

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Coronavirus: Judge decides to release Ghost Ship defendant Derick Almena

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