OAKLAND (KRON) — After a lengthy break in the Ghost Ship Fire Trial, jurors resumed deliberation Tuesday morning.
This is the fourth day of deliberations after three jurors were replaced for misconduct last month.
As jurors return to deliberation, scheduling conflicts are now threatening to disrupt the trial once again.
Three jurors have conflicts that would only leave six days of deliberating for the month of September.
Judge Trina Thompson has yet to decide if she’ll grant the time off, considering all three jurors made the travel arrangements after they were notified of the deliberating schedule.
Jurors were off the last week of August for the Labor Day holiday.
“So as my client sits and waits, as Harris sits and waits, there is nothing for them other than pain and suffering,” said Tony Serra, attorney for defendant Derick Almena.
Almena and co-defendant Max Harris each face 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter for the deaths of three dozen party-goers in the 2016 warehouse fire.
After a three-month trial, the evidence was handed to the jury on July 31.
Then after 10 days of deliberation, three jurors were removed for misconduct allegations.
Three alternate jurors took their place and now only one alternate remains.
“I think as time goes on the more difficult it becomes for them. So we sympathize for them,” said Tyler Smith, attorney for Harris. “We’re confident that they took detailed notes, that as a group they will be able to compare notes and remember what different witnesses said at different points.”
On Tuesday, the judge welcomed back the jurors, reread jury instructions and reminded them that they will be sequestered in the courthouse during lunch and if they choose, they can use that time to deliberate.
The first juror scheduling conflict date is Sept. 9.