Judge declares mistrial in arson case against man accused of sparking Palisades Fire
Summary
A federal judge declared a mistrial in the case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, who was accused of starting the deadly 2025 Palisades fire in Los Angeles. The jury could not agree on a verdict after more than 13 hours of discussion.Key Facts
- The mistrial was declared because the jury was deadlocked: 10 jurors wanted a not-guilty verdict, while 2 wanted to convict.
- Jonathan Rinderknecht is accused of starting the Palisades fire, which burned over 23,000 acres, damaged more than 6,000 buildings, and killed 12 people.
- Prosecutors said the fire was linked to a smaller brush fire Rinderknecht allegedly started on New Year’s Day 2025.
- Rinderknecht faced three federal charges: arson, malicious destruction by fire, and setting fire to timber.
- Prosecutors described Rinderknecht as acting out of revenge against society due to personal problems and anger over wealth inequality.
- The defense argued Rinderknecht was not responsible and suggested fireworks caused the initial fire instead.
- Jurors deliberated for over 13 hours but could not reach a verdict, leading the judge to reject extending deliberations.
- The U.S. attorney’s office said it plans to retry the case with a new jury.
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