The federal arson case tied to one of Los Angeles’ deadliest wildfires just hit a major wall. A federal judge declared a mistrial Friday in the case against 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht, the man accused of sparking the deadly 2025 Palisades Fire, after jurors said they could not reach a unanimous verdict, according to the Associated Press.
Rinderknecht, who has pleaded not guilty, faced three federal charges: arson, malicious destruction by means of a fire, and timber set aflame. Judge Anne Hwang said, “The court finds there is a manifest necessity to declare a mistrial because the jury is deadlocked,” after the panel split 10-2, with 10 jurors reportedly leaning not guilty and two voting to convict.
The jury made it clear they were stuck, writing, “We have people on both sides that are dead set, unwavering and unwilling to change their opinion.” Hwang rejected prosecutors’ request to push deliberations further, citing a “risk of coercion.”
Defense attorney Steve Haney called the vote count a “pretty resounding indication” that Rinderknecht is innocent. Prosecutors, however, are not backing down. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said they “fully intend to retry this case before a new jury and obtain guilty verdicts on all charged counts.” He added, “The evidence is strong that Jonathan Rinderknecht is responsible for igniting the fire on January 1, 2025, which eventually became the Palisades fire.”
According to the Department of Justice, prosecutors allege Rinderknecht maliciously started the January 1, 2025 Lachman Fire near Pacific Palisades. Officials say that fire smoldered underground in dense root systems before resurfacing January 7 under heavy winds and becoming the Palisades Fire.
The damage was devastating. CAL FIRE reports 12 civilian deaths, 6,845 structures destroyed, 975 structures damaged, three civilian injuries, and one firefighter injury.
At trial, prosecutors pointed to Rinderknecht’s digital activity, 911 calls, location data, and alleged statements about wealth inequality. Investigators said he used ChatGPT like a diary, including one exchange where he asked, “Why am I so angry all the time?” Prosecutors also presented searches tied to Luigi Mangione and a Reddit search reading “lets kill all the billionaires.”
The defense argued fireworks were the likely cause and said investigators never found searches for arson methods or purchases of fire-starting materials. Haney also argued that Rinderknecht calling 911 repeatedly and staying near firefighters did not fit the profile of someone trying to hide.
For now, the case is far from over. A mistrial means no conviction, no acquittal, and a legal reset as prosecutors prepare for round two.
