Jonathan Rinderknecht, the person responsible for the Palisades Fire, known as the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles history, is set to appear in trial again soon as jury selection begins this week. The trial was originally set for late June, but after three weeks, it ended in a hung jury.
The defense framed Rinderknecht as a ‘Scapegoat’ at the start of the original trial and remains committed to his innocence. They asserted the hilltop New Year’s Day blaze was triggered by holiday fireworks, not their client, and that the massive Palisades inferno that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes a week later was a separate fire set by someone else.
Prosecutors did the opposite and framed Rinderknecht as a dejected loner who harbored deep anger at society, particularly the wealthy, and channeled his rage into an act of arson. The opposing narratives left jurors deadlocked 10-2, and Judge Anne Hwang declared a mistrial. Prosecutors moved to retry the defendant under a grand jury indictment that dropped one of the original charges Rinderknecht faced and modified the two remaining federal arson counts. Rinderknecht is the only person criminally charged in connection with either of the two January 7 blazes, which together rank as the deadliest wildfire calamity ever in Los Angeles County, surpassing the 29 lives lost in the Griffith Park fire of 1933.
Rinderknecht acknowledged that he was present and saw the fire, which prompted him to call 911, stay at the scene until firefighters arrived, and even offer his services. Prosecutors have alleged that while placing his 911 call, Rinderknecht asked the AI app ChatGPT on his phone whether someone could be found at fault for lighting a fire “because of your cigarettes,” to which ChatGPT replied, “Yes.”
Prosecutors also said security camera footage and location data from Rinderknecht’s cellphone show he was the only person in the vicinity of the January 1 blaze when it began near a trail in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
Defense attorney Steve Haney asserted during the first trial that prosecutors lacked physical evidence linking Rinderknecht to arson or any records showing an intent to commit arson.
Nearly 7,000 homes and other structures went up in flames, with property losses estimated at $150 billion, some of that belonging to organizations receiving federal financial assistance or involved in interstate commerce.
Rinderknecht, who pleaded not guilty, declined to testify in his own defense during his first trial. He would face up to 40 years in prison if found guilty as charged under the latest indictment. The original indictment carried a maximum prison term of 45 years. He has remained in custody since his arrest in Florida in October 2025.
