Trial begins for man accused of sparking LA’s deadly Palisades fire
Summary
The trial of Jonathan Rinderknecht, a 29-year-old man charged with starting a small fire that reignited and caused the deadly Palisades wildfire in Los Angeles, is set to begin. The fire killed 12 people and became the city's most destructive blaze. The court will decide if Rinderknecht knew the small fire could grow into the deadly wildfire.Key Facts
- Jonathan Rinderknecht is charged with starting the Lachman fire on New Year’s Day 2025.
- The initial fire was put out but reignited due to strong winds and dry conditions.
- The wildfire killed 12 people and destroyed homes and land.
- Rinderknecht faces three felony charges and could get 5 to 45 years in prison if convicted.
- He has been in federal custody since October 2025.
- Prosecutors say Rinderknecht was upset on New Year’s Eve and allegedly talked about resentment toward wealthy people.
- The trial judge has excluded some evidence, including claims the fire department failed to fully put out the first fire.
- Defense lawyers argue Rinderknecht is being unfairly blamed and wanted to show firefighting mistakes but were stopped from using some evidence.
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