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Ultimately, the criminal investigation centered on Almena, the man on the property lease who designed the space and rented it to other people, as well as Harris, styled as the warehouse’s creative director. They initially reached an agreement with prosecutors to plead no contest in exchange for nine years in county jail for Almena and six years for Harris, with credit for time served.

After outcry from victims’ families, that agreement was thrown out by a judge, who particularly opposed the plea agreement’s terms for Almena, whom he said had not shown remorse. Because prosecutors had opted to try the men together, both deals were thrown out.

At trial, prosecutors argued the men did nothing to ensure the safety of warehouse residents or visitors. They stuffed the building with highly combustible materials, failed to get permits, and didn’t put up smoke detectors, prosecutors said.

In response, Almena and Harris each testified that they believed the building was safe. Defense attorneys also suggested the cause of the fire was arson, and whoever set the fire should be held responsible instead of Almena and Harris. The official investigation did not determine a single cause for the fire, but said it could have started with an electrical failure or open flame in the building, such as a candle or burning incense.

In his testimony, Harris described shouting, “Fire! Get out!” as soon as he was aware of the flames and attempting to use a fire extinguisher to put it out. He called 911 and used his cellphone’s flashlight to help people find the warehouse’s exit, Harris said.

Some of the victims were Harris’s friends, and a New York Times profile portrayed him as a gentle artist who was manipulated by Almena. An attorney for Harris described him as a convenient scapegoat and urged jurors not to find him responsible for the deaths.

The trial was extended after 10 days of jury deliberations, when three jurors were removed for misconduct and replaced with alternates. With the new jurors in place, deliberations began again and lasted six days.