Mistrial declared in federal arson case related to California wildfires

A mistrial has been declared in the federal arson case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, who is accused of starting the Palisades Fire in California. The jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision, with 10 out of 12 jurors believing Rinderknecht was innocent. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated that prosecutors intend to retry the case, asserting that the evidence is strong. Rinderknecht is accused of intentionally setting the fire on January 1, 2025, using a barbecue lighter, which later escalated into a deadly wildfire that destroyed neighborhoods and resulted in 12 deaths. Judge Anne Hwang ordered Rinderknecht detained until his retrial, which is scheduled for October 19.

A federal judge declared a mistrial in the arson case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, who was accused of sparking the deadly 2025 Palisades fire in Los Angeles. The jury was deadlocked after deliberating for over 13 hours on three federal charges, with ten jurors leaning towards a not-guilty verdict and two towards conviction. The Palisades fire, which occurred in January 2025, scorched over 23,000 acres, damaged thousands of buildings, and resulted in 12 fatalities. Prosecutors alleged Rinderknecht started a smaller fire on New Year's Day 2025, which later resurfaced due to wind, leading to the larger blaze. Rinderknecht's defense maintained his innocence, presenting evidence of his 911 calls regarding the initial fire. The US Attorney's office intends to retry the case.