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Palisades fire: Case takes surprising turn as jurors fail to reach common ground in arson trial
A judge declared a mistrial in the Palisades Fire arson case after jurors failed to agree on any verdict.
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A federal judge on Friday declared a mistrial in the case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, the man accused of starting the deadly Palisades Fire that devastated parts of Southern California in 2025. The decision came after jurors said they could not agree on a verdict for any of the three charges against him. The wildfire killed 12 people, destroyed thousands of structures and burned more than 23,000 acres, making it one of the most destructive fires in California’s recent history.
Why did Judge Anne Hwang declare a mistrial in Jonathan Rinderknecht’s case?
According to CNN, jurors informed Judge Anne Hwang that they were unable to reach a unanimous decision after about 14 hours of deliberations. In a note sent to the court, the jury wrote: “We cannot reach a unanimous verdict on any of the three charges. We have people on both sides that are dead set, unwavering and unwilling to change their opinion.”
Rinderknecht, 29, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was accused of destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire. If convicted, he could have faced up to 45 years in prison.
KABC-TV reported that the jury was split, with 10 jurors favoring acquittal and two supporting aconviction. Following the mistrial, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said prosecutors plan to take the case back to court.
“The evidence is strong that Jonathan Rinderknecht is responsible for igniting the fire on January 1, 2025, which eventually became the Palisades Fire,” Essayli wrote on X.
What do prosecutors and Jonathan Rinderknecht’s defense team say about the fire?
Federal prosecutors allege that Rinderknecht, who was working as an Uber driver at the time, drove to the Skull Rock Trailhead on January 1, 2025, and started a fire later known as the Lachman Fire.
Court records say he attempted to call 911 several times but could not connect because he was outside cell service range. By the time he reached an area with service, a nearby resident had already reported the fire. Authorities also allege that he left the area, later returned to the trail and recorded video of the fire on his phone.
Firefighters contained the Lachman Fire, but officials say it continued smoldering underground before erupting into the Palisades Fire on January 7. The blaze spread across Pacific Palisades, Topanga and Malibu before it was fully contained on January 31, 2025.
Defense attorney Steve Haney has argued that his client is being blamed for failures to completely extinguish the earlier fire. Prosecutors, however, have made it clear they intend to retry the case before a new jury.
