OAKLAND — After months of delays, Derick Almena and Max Harris, each charged with 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter for deaths in the Dec. 2 Ghost Ship fire, formally declared their innocence Wednesday morning in Alameda Superior Court.

The pair’s attorneys each entered not guilty pleas for the former Ghost Ship tenants, as they quietly affirmed the pleas to the judge. A preliminary hearing is now scheduled for Nov. 13 at Rene C. Davidson Courthouse, and a pre-trial conference on Nov. 7.

Related Articles Ghost Ship fire attorneys challenge manslaughter charges in court At a hearing earlier this month, Tony Serra, who represents Almena, and Curtis Briggs, who represents Harris, argued they cannot adequately defend their clients because the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has not specified the charges.

In charging documents filed in June, prosecutors allege the men violated Oakland municipal laws by creating a dangerous environment at the Fruitvale district warehouse but did not list the ordinances in question, the attorneys said.

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However, those motions were denied Wednesday by the judge.

Almena, 47, was the master tenant and leader of the artist collective. Harris, 27, was a long-time tenant who sometimes helped collect rent.

Both men had their bails reduced from $1.08 million to $750,000 in July but remain in custody in a segregated wing of Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.

Prosecutors alleged that Harris’ and Almena’s conscious, reckless actions led to the tragic fire that killed 36 people attending an electronic music party at the 31st Avenue warehouse on Dec. 2. Almena was staying in an Oakland hotel with his family the night of the fire. Harris worked as the warehouse doorman that night and with others helped guide people out the front door, witnesses said.