LOS ANGELES – A federal judge has declared a mistrial in the trial of Jonathan Rinderknecht, the man charged with setting a fire that officials said eventually became the Palisades Fire.
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What we know:
Rinderknecht was charged with three felony counts: destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce, and timber set afire. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Investigators allege that the former Uber driver started the initial Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The blaze later smoldered underground for seven days before being fueled by fierce Santa Ana winds, becoming the devastating Palisades Fire. The historic firestorm led to 12 fatalities, destroyed thousands of structures, and consumed more than 23,000 acres.
Following the firestorm, Rinderknecht relocated to Florida. He was later tracked down by federal investigators in Melbourne, where he was arrested and subsequently extradited back to California to stand trial.
Jury Deadlocked
The final verdict follows intense drama that unfolded in the courtroom Thursday afternoon after it was revealed jurors were at a complete standstill.
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When the judge asked if any extra instructions or evidence read-backs could help the panel, the jury foreman sent back a note stating, “There is nothing the court can do it was this in the deliberations. Unfortunately, we cannot reach a unanimous decision,” explicitly underlining the word cannot.
Jonathan Rinderknecht (Credit: Department of Justice)
The defense immediately asked the judge to declare a mistrial, but the judge ordered the panel back to the deliberation room Friday morning.
After returning to the courtroom Friday morning for further deliberations, the jury remained completely deadlocked, forcing the judge to call a mistrial.
What’s next:
With a mistrial officially declared, the current case is dismissed, but the legal battle is not over. Federal prosecutors must now determine whether they will drop the charges or move forward with a completely new trial with a brand-new jury. If he is retried and convicted in the future, Rinderknecht faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 45 years.
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