Judge declares mistrial in California wildfire arson case
Summary
A judge declared a mistrial in the case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, who is accused of starting the deadliest wildfire in Los Angeles history in January 2025. The jury could not agree on a verdict, and prosecutors plan to try the case again.Key Facts
- Jonathan Rinderknecht is accused of starting the Pacific Palisades fire in January 2025.
- The fire killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,000 buildings.
- The wildfire was part of multiple fires in the LA area that month, killing 31 people and destroying 16,000 structures.
- The jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision after two days of deliberations.
- The judge declared a mistrial because of the jury deadlock.
- Prosecutors plan to retry the case.
- Rinderknecht was arrested in October 2025 and pleaded not guilty.
- Prosecutors said he used ChatGPT like a diary, showing his fascination with fire before starting the blaze.
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