Judge declares mistrial in Palisades Fire arson case after jury deadlocks
A federal judge in Los Angeles declared a mistrial on Friday after jurors remained deadlocked in the case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, who is accused of igniting the fire that authorities say became the catastrophic Palisades Fire.
TL;DR
- A federal judge declared a mistrial in the case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, accused of igniting the Palisades Fire.
- The jury was deadlocked, with 10 jurors favoring a not-guilty verdict and two favoring conviction.
- Prosecutors plan to retry the case, presenting evidence including Rinderknecht's alleged ChatGPT inputs and searches related to a murder suspect.
- Rinderknecht's defense claimed the jury's split indicated innocence and that the fire was caused by fireworks.
- The Palisades Fire, which ignited on January 7, 2025, is distinct from the Lachman Fire Rinderknecht is accused of starting on New Year's Eve 2024.