In exchange for a guilty plea, Almena would receive a prison sentence of 18 years with a possibility of parole in 10. But, Almena turned it down.
At a trial scheduled for next month, Almena faces 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter, one for each person who died December 2, 2016 when the artists collective caught fire. Investigators suspect an electrical problem, but have not been able to pinpoint the cause.
Dan Noyes interviewed Alemena's wife in April; you can watch it here.