US News
Man accused of starting Palisades fire faces arson retrial after mistrial
The Guardian reports that federal prosecutors say Jonathan Rinderknecht started the January 2025 Palisades fire, as his arson retrial gets underway this week.
The short version
- Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, is being retried for arson after his first trial ended in a hung jury.[The Guardian]
- Federal prosecutors say he is responsible for the January 2025 Palisades fire, which killed 12 people; he has pleaded not guilty.[The Guardian]
- In the first trial, 10 jurors voted not guilty, and a tentative ruling would limit jurors' consideration of fire suppression adequacy.[The Guardian]
Key facts
- Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, is being retried for arson after his first trial ended in a hung jury.[The Guardian]
- Federal prosecutors say Rinderknecht is responsible for the January 2025 Palisades fire, which killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of buildings.[The Guardian]
- Rinderknecht has pleaded not guilty to charges including arson affecting property used in interstate commerce.[The Guardian]
- Two jurors voted to convict Rinderknecht in the first trial, while 10 voted not guilty.[The Guardian]
- Federal prosecutors asked the court to instruct retrial jurors not to consider the adequacy of Lachman fire suppression efforts, and a judge tentatively granted the request.[The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- Responsibility for the fire is alleged by federal prosecutors and has not been decided in court.[The Guardian]
- The judge's grant of the prosecutors' request is tentative, according to court documents cited by The Guardian.[The Guardian]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.