Judge declares mistrial in arson case against man accused of sparking Palisades fire
Jurors in California deliberated for over 13 hours, before announcing that they were deadlocked
TL;DR
- A mistrial was declared in the arson case of Jonathan Rinderknecht, accused of starting the 2025 Palisades fire.
- Jurors deliberated for over 13 hours but were unable to reach a unanimous verdict, with a 10-2 split.
- The prosecution plans to retry the case, stating there is strong evidence against Rinderknecht.
- Rinderknecht's defense attorney believes the jury's split indicates his client's innocence.
- The Palisades fire in January 2025 scorched over 23,000 acres, damaged more than 6,000 buildings, and killed 12 people.
- Prosecutors alleged the fire was a continuation of a smaller brush fire lit by Rinderknecht on New Year's Day 2025.
- Rinderknecht faced charges of arson, malicious destruction by fire, and timber set aflame.
- Defense attorneys argued Rinderknecht was not responsible and presented evidence of his 911 calls regarding the initial fire.
- The cause of the initial fire was disputed, with conflicting witness testimony regarding fireworks.