mistrial declared – A mistrial was declared June 26 in the Palisades Fire arson case against Florida man Jonathan Rinderknecht, after jurors appeared to near a verdict but later sent a note expressing disagreement. Prosecutors said evidence ties him to the fire’s start; the defen
A mistrial was declared June 26 in a high-stakes arson trial tied to the Pacific Palisades Fire, a disaster that killed 12 people and devastated Los Angeles—leaving survivors once again bracing for how long the fight for answers can take.
The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed the mistrial in the trial of Florida man Jonathan Rinderknecht. who faced charges connected to the wildfire that ripped through Los Angeles in early 2025. Prosecutors had alleged he was responsible for starting the blaze. initially known as the Lachman Fire. which investigators say later burned unnoticed underground until it surged again after strong winds.
Rinderknecht was charged with destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property and setting a timber fire. Those counts carry a maximum potential sentence of up to 45 years in prison.
Bill Essayli, the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for California’s Central District. said the evidence that Rinderknecht started a blaze in the early hours of New Year’s Day 2025 is “strong.” Essayli also told the public that prosecutors intended to pursue the case further. writing: “We fully intend to retry this case before a new jury and obtain guilty verdicts on all charged counts.”.
According to prosecutors, firefighters believed they had extinguished the fire after it was first discovered. But the fire continued to burn underground until Jan. 7, 2025, when it grew thanks to strong winds. The Palisades Fire ultimately burned more than 23. 000 acres. killed 12 people. destroyed nearly 7. 000 homes and structures. and caused more than $200 billion in economic losses. according to CalFire.
Beyond the courtroom, the case has carried political and personal fallout. The Palisades Fire, along with the Eaton Fire, displaced thousands of residents. It also followed a controversial change in leadership at the Los Angeles Fire Department; then–LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley was fired after the fires. In a legal filing. Crowley said Mayor Karen Bass—who was out of the country when the fires began—made her a scapegoat for the catastrophe.
For some survivors, the legal case has become another round of trauma. Months after the fires, they were forced to relive the disaster again after Rinderknecht’s arrest in October.
Rinderknecht’s attorney, Steve Haney, pushed back sharply on the prosecution’s theory. Haney told the court fireworks triggered the initial fire and that his client tried to stop it by calling 911. Haney said the Palisades Fire was a separate blaze started by unidentified arsonists and argued prosecutors lacked physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to arson. Haney did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the mistrial from this outlet.
Prosecutors. meanwhile. told the jury that Rinderknecht had grown increasingly angry at wealthy people after a breakup and that he started the fire because he wanted “revenge against society.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Williams said in his opening statement that security camera footage and cellphone data indicated Rinderknecht was the only person in the area when the fire was started. Prosecutors also said investigators had ruled out non-arson causes, including fireworks.
The trial had appeared to be headed toward a turning point on June 25, when the jury seemed close to reaching a verdict. Instead, jurors returned with a note that said, “we have people on both sides that are deadset,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
For now, the mistrial resets the case at its most fragile moment—after months of evidence and testimony about how a fire that began early New Year’s Day became one of Los Angeles’s deadliest and most costly blazes.
Palisades Fire arson trial Jonathan Rinderknecht Bill Essayli Mark Williams Kristin Crowley Karen Bass CalFire Los Angeles wildfire U.S. Department of Justice mistrial
Mistrial again?? This fire case is never-ending.
So they almost had a verdict but jurors disagreed… like why can’t they just all agree. 12 people died and they’re still playing courtroom games.
I don’t get it—if it was “arson affecting property” then how could it be hard to prove. Sounds like the evidence was strong like they said, but the jury note means nothing? Also underground burning for days makes me think it’s more like a utility problem than some guy with a match.
Another mistrial means they’ll retry, but meanwhile survivors are stuck in limbo. They keep saying it burned unnoticed underground and then surged after winds, so was he definitely the start cause or did the wind just make it worse later. 45 years is wild though, so if they retry I guess we’ll see what actually convinced them the first time. I feel bad for everyone waiting on answers.