Judge declares mistrial in Palisades Fire arson trial after jury deadlocks
CNN
By Jack Hannah, Nick Watt, CNN
Los Angeles (CNN) — A federal judge declared a mistrial Friday after the jury deadlocked in the arson trial of Jonathan Rinderknecht, the man accused of starting the deadly Palisades Fire in 2025.
Jurors began deliberating Wednesday but by late Thursday sent a note to the court saying: “We cannot reach a unanimous verdict on any of the three charges” – with “cannot” underlined.
They returned Friday morning, when the jury foreperson told the judge they still could not reach a unanimous verdict. The foreperson said 10 people voted not guilty and two supported guilt, leaving them at an impasse.
With that, the judge ended the trial without a clear resolution.
Prosecutors plan to try the case again, First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli said.
Rinderknecht, 30, had pleaded not guilty to three counts: destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
How both sides cast the accused
Prosecutors called more than 30 witnesses over six days, painting Rinderknecht as a vengeful and angry person who ignited a blaze that later became the Palisades Fire, claiming a dozen lives and scorching thousands of homes and businesses in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
Prosecutors argued Rinderknecht was alone in a clearing on a Palisades hillside in the early hours of New Year’s Day 2025 when a fire, then dubbed the Lachman Fire, broke out. Though firefighters soon suppressed the blaze, an arson investigator testified the fire smoldered underground before heavy winds made it flare again on January 7, becoming the Palisades Fire.
Prosecutors contended Rinderknecht was motivated by his desire to seek revenge against society at large and also was angry at the wealthy and his inability to find companionship on New Year’s Eve.
Passengers driven by Rinderknecht, who was working as an Uber driver, testified he ranted about capitalism and was fixated by Luigi Mangione, the 28-year-old accused in the December 2024 killing of a health care executive in New York.
Rinderknecht’s attorneys called nine witnesses over about three days, including a consultant and former arson investigator who said there was not enough evidence to illustrate a serious intent to start a fire – and fireworks were “the most obvious cause” of the blaze.
Other witness testimony was used to corroborate defense claims that New Year’s revelers were setting off fireworks in the area that night.
Rinderknecht’s defense also acknowledged he saw flames that night at the clearing – known as the Hidden Buddha – and emphasized he called 911 several times, though the calls could not immediately connect.
Haney argued no one saw his client light a fire and cast Rinderknecht as a scapegoat.
This story has been updated with additional information.
CNN’s Eric Levenson contributed to this report.
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