A federal judge on Friday declared a mistrial in the case of Jonathan Rinderknecht, the man accused of starting the deadly Palisades Fire in 2025 that devastated parts of Southern California. The decision came after jurors said they could not reach a verdict on 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 recent California history.
Why did Judge Anne Wong declare a mistrial in Jonathan Lindknecht’s case?
According to CNN, jurors were told Judge Anne Hwang said that after about 14 hours of deliberations, they could not reach a unanimous decision. The jury wrote in a note to the court: “We are unable to reach a unanimous verdict on any of the three charges. There are individuals on both sides who are steadfast, unwavering and unwilling to change their views.”
Rinderknecht, 29, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was charged with setting fire to damage property, setting fire to property used in interstate commerce and setting fire to wood. If convicted, he could face up to 45 years in prison.
The jury was split, with 10 jurors supporting not guilty and two supporting not guilty, KABC-TV reported. After mistrial, First Assistant U.S. lawyer Bill Essaly said prosecutors plan to take the case back to court.
“There is strong evidence that Jonathan Rinderknecht was responsible for the January 1, 2025 fire that eventually became the Palisades Fire,” Essayli wrote on X.
What do prosecutors and Jonathan Lindknecht’s defense team think 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 Jan. 1, 2025, and started a fire that became known as the Lachman Fire.
Court records show he tried calling 911 multiple times but was unable to get through because he was out of cell phone service. When he arrived at the service area, a nearby resident had reported the fire. Authorities also claim he left the area, later returned to the trail and recorded video of the fire on his cellphone.
firefighter The Lachman Fire was contained, but officials said it continued to smolder underground before erupting into the Palisades Fire on Jan. 7. The fire spread to Pacific Palisades, Topanga, and Malibu and was fully contained on January 31, 2025.
Defense lawyer Steve Haney argued his client was to blame for failing to fully extinguish the previous fire. However, prosecutors have made clear they intend to retry the case before a new jury.
