Mistrial Declared in Jonathan Rinderknecht Arson Case Over Palisades Fire
A federal judge declared a mistrial in the arson case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, accused of starting the Palisades Fire in January 2025. After about 13-14 hours of deliberation, jurors reported being deadlocked and unable to reach a unanimous verdict on three charges, including arson and malicious destruction. Rinderknecht pleaded not guilty, and prosecutors plan to retry the case, citing strong evidence of his responsibility for the fire that spread across Pacific Palisades, Topanga, and Malibu.