Judge Anne Hwang Declares Mistrial In Jonathan Rinderknecht Palisades Fire Arson Trial

A federal judge declared a mistrial in the arson trial of Jonathan Rinderknecht after a deadlocked jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on any of the three charges against him.

Prosecutors accused Rinderknecht, a 30-year-old former Uber driver, of starting a fire on January 1, 2025 that later became the Palisades Fire, and the case centered on whether the government could prove he set the fire.

ABC

NBC News reported that jurors told U.S. District Judge Anne Hwang that they were “at a standstill,” and the judge scheduled a retrial set to begin Oct. 19.

The jury split was 10 people for not guilty and two for guilty, the foreperson said in court, and the judge ordered Rinderknecht to remain in custody until the retrial.

In closing arguments, prosecutors said, “On Jan. 1, 2025, Jonathan Rinderknecht started a fire on a hill in the Pacific Palisades,” while defense attorney Steve Haney argued the question was “much narrower,” whether the government could prove he set that fire.

Defense attorney Steve Haney told jurors in his opening statement that the case was not about Rinderknecht’s social views, and he said the prosecution had to prove “Can the government prove he set that fire on January 1, 2025?”

Juror Syrena, one of the not guilty votes, said, “There’s just not enough proof,” and she added, “A lot of holes,” as she described why she could not say for sure that he was guilty.

ABC

Prosecutors said they found a Bic grill lighter in the glove compartment of Rinderknecht’s rental car, and ATF Special Agent Derek Hill testified that investigators determined the cause of the fire was the willful ignition of combustible materials with an open flame.

ATF Explosives Enforcement Officer Kevin Miner testified that “Fireworks would have been incapable of starting the fire under the conditions that night,” and other government witnesses said no fireworks were observed near the fire’s origins.

NBC News reported that after the judge polled each juror and each member replied “yes” to whether it was impossible to reach a unanimous decision, federal prosecutor Mark Williams agreed to the mistrial.

After the mistrial, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said the federal government would retry the case, and he posted that “The evidence is strong that Jonathan Rinderknecht is responsible for igniting the fire on January 1, 2025, which eventually became the Palisades fire.”

“10 jurors said Palisades Fire suspect isn’t guilty”

AP News

The retrial is scheduled to begin Oct. 19, and the judge ordered Rinderknecht to remain in custody until then, with the case leaving unresolved questions about who is responsible for the fire that killed 12 people and destroyed 6,500 structures.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the mistrial left unresolved questions about who is responsible for the fire that killed 12 people, destroyed 6,500 structures from Pacific Palisades to Malibu, and caused billions of dollars in losses.

In the defense’s framing, Haney said the 10-2 split was “a pretty resounding indication” that the jury was not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt, and he argued the prosecution’s case relied on cause and integrity rather than liking or character.

The BBC reported that Rinderknecht faced up to 45 years in prison if convicted, and it also said prosecutors intended to retry the case after jurors told the court they were unable to reach a unanimous decision.