A jury acquitted the master tenant and leaseholder of a warehouse that became the epicenter of one of California’s most-deadliest structure fires. Derick Almena, 49, was found not guilty on 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the December 2016 blaze at the Ghost Ship Warehouse in Oakland. The jury hung on similar charges … Read more
Attorney General William Barr submitted a summary of his conclusions from Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged geopolitical interference in the 2016 presidential election. The summary said there wasn’t enough evidence that showed the president’s campaign directly inspired or colluded with Russian individuals to influence the outcome of the 2016 election. It also did not definitely … Read more
Mark offered his insight and legal expertise during FOX40’s extensive coverage of the Stephon Clark shooting case. On March 2, Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert decided against criminally charging several Sacramento Police Department officers in connection with the death of Stephon Clark last year. Clark, 23, was shot as he fled from officers during … Read more
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has issued an edict to a pair of investigative reporters who obtained police discipline data following a California Public Records Act request filed with the state’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. The documents included records related to around 12,000 current and former officers as well as individuals who … Read more
A new twist in the Golden State Killer saga has opened up new possibilities in the trial against Joseph DeAngelo, the man charged with several decades-old crimes. Speaking with FOX40 News, Mark said DeAngelo, who has been behind bars for 10 months, faces a new legal hurdle as he awaits what could be California’s biggest … Read more
Was it murder or was it self-defense? Mark represented Hayley Katherine Gilligan, 30, of Davis at a court hearing, telling local reporters afterward he is confident his client would prevail over homicide charges stemming from a self-defense shooting against her former boyfriend. “We know this is an extreme tragedy for everyone,” Mark said. “There’s nothing … Read more
Omar Ameen, a Sacramento man, was arrested earlier this week for allegedly working with ISIS during his time in Iraq several years ago. Since moving to the United States, Ameen has led a quiet life as a welding student at nearby American River College and worked at an area auto body shop. He was granted … Read more
A Solano County grand jury handed down an indictment accusing former Deputy Public Defender Rahul Balaram of getting a colleague drunk, then raping her, following an office holiday party in Vallejo. Now in private practice, Mark spoke with FOX40 News about his experience as a public defender, though he is not representing either client in … Read more
Officers with the Sacramento Police Department arrested Craig Williams, a local resident who allegedly left his car idling in front of a 7-11 convenience store. Cell phone video captured a wild encounter between Williams and officers outside of the store. Mark spoke with ABC10’s Madison Wade about the case and what steps Williams can take … Read more
A state appellate court overturned the conviction of Isaiah Fowler, a 12-year-old Stockton boy who was accused of murder in connection with the death of his sister. Mark Reichel spoke with KCRA 3 about the court’s decision in an interview later aired on KTVU FOX 2 News: “They vacated the prior conviction,” Mark said, “So … Read more
U.S. Attorney Jeff Sessions rescinded an Obama-era policy this week that de-prioritized marijuana enforcement throughout the Department of Justice, a policy that largely paved the way for states like Colorado, Washington and California to open the door for ballot measures that legalized recreational pot use at the state level. By rescinding the so-called Cole Memo, … Read more
Mark is representing Elijah Williams, one of five individuals charged over an incident during Picnic Day in Davis. Prosecutors in Yolo County claim Williams was caught on camera hitting a police officer twice, something Mark said isn’t supported by any evidence he’s reviewed. “The only evidence that we’ve seen…comes from a dashcam video from … Read more