It was an emotional day on the witness stand Tuesday as the wife of Ghostship defendant Derick Almena teared up as she was shown a photo of the family during better days.
Under questioning from her husband’s attorney, Tony Serra, Micah Allison joined other defense witnesses to contradict fire officials who maintain they were not inside the building prior to the December 2, 2016 fire, which took the lives of 36 people.
Almena’s attorney wants to shift the blame to the fire department for not requiring any corrective action to the building
During her testimony, Allison said police and child protective services also entered the warehouse and said nothing about the conditions.
She also told co-defendant Max Harris’ attorney that Harris had nothing to do with the build out of the warehouse because it happened before he moved in
“And that’s something we have been explaining all along that is the basis for acquittal of Max Harris,” said attorney Curtis Briggs.
But under cross examination by prosecutors, Allison admitted her husband waived Harris’ rent because he did so much around the warehouse.
She also admitted she and her husband were primarily responsible for the planning and build out of the warehouse and that was done without permits or inspections.
A similar round of questions is expected when almena takes the stand.
“When you have from my perspective a client who’s entitled to reasonable doubt and entitled to an acquittal you dog gone put him on the stand,” said Almena’s attorney, Tony Serra.
Allison will return to the witness stand for more cross examination Wednesday.
The trial will then be in recess for a week and a half, resuming July 8.
It’s expected Almena will take the stand on July 9.