A surprise deadlocked jury in the Palisades Fire trial leaves attorneys weighing next steps
Jurors said they were split after two days, and judges are weighing an Allen charge, more argument or a mistrial in the arson case.
- On Thursday, June 25, 2026, a federal jury reached a verdict in the trial of Jonathan Rinderknecht, accused of starting the 2025 Palisades Fire. The court will announce the decision shortly.
- Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht intentionally started the Lachman Fire on January 1, 2025, which smoldered underground before erupting into the Palisades Fire, killing 12 people and destroying over 5,400 homes.
- While prosecutors placed Rinderknecht 30 feet from the flames using cellphone data, defense attorney Steve Haney argued the government lacked physical evidence, noting his client called 911 multiple times to report the fire.
- If convicted on three federal charges including destruction of property by fire and arson affecting property used in interstate commerce, Rinderknecht faces a maximum of 45 years in federal prison.
- The 2025 disaster burned more than 23,000 acres of land across the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and Santa Monica mountains, marking one of the third most destructive incidents in California history.
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Mistrial declared in Pacific Palisades arson case after jury deadlocks * WorldNetDaily * by Cristina Laila, The Gateway Pundit
Source link Pacific Palisades fires A mistrial was declared in the Pacific Palisades arson case after a jury deadlocked. Prosecutors said they will retry the case. Last October, federal prosecutors announced that 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht of Orlando, Florida, was arrested for intentionally setting the Palisades fire. Rinderknecht was an Uber driver at the time he allegedly intentionally set
Judge declares mistrial in Palisades Fire suspect’s federal trial - Regional Media News
(LOS ANGELES) - The judge declared a mistrial Friday in the federal trial of the man accused of starting the deadly blaze that devastated the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles last year, with the jury unable to reach a verdict. Jonathan Rinderknecht was accused of "maliciously" starting a fire that six days later developed into what became known as the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history. He w…
NEWS HEADLINES: Jury deadlocks 10-2 in Jonathan Rinderknecht Palisades Fire trial, forcing mistrial – One America News Network
(Background) An aerial view of the remains of homes destroyed in the Palisades Fire on February 27, 2025, in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) / (C) Jonathan Rinderknecht (via: U.S. Attorney’s Office) OAN Staff Katherine Mosack1:26 PM – Friday, June 26, 2026 A federal judge has declared a mistrial in the case of Jonathan Rinderknecht‘s alleged connection to the start of a small brush fire, dubbed the Lachman Fire,…
Mistrial Declared in Palisades Fire Case
A federal judge declared a mistrial Friday in the case of Jonathan Rinderknecht, the man accused of deliberately igniting the Palisades Fire on New Year’s Day 2025, after a jury deadlocked 10-2 in favor of acquittal following more than 13 hours of deliberations. Rinderknecht, 30, faces charges of destruction of property by means of fire. He pleaded not guilty. The fire burned through Pacific Palisades and surrounding neighborhoods, killing 12 pe…
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