LOS ANGELES — A federal judge on Friday declared a mistrial in the high-profile arson case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, the man accused of intentionally setting a fire that prosecutors say later developed into the deadly 2025 Palisades Fire in Los Angeles. The ruling came after jurors informed the court they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict following days of deliberations. Federal prosecutors said they intend to retry the case.
Rinderknecht, who has pleaded not guilty, faced three federal felony charges, including arson and related fire offenses. According to court proceedings, jurors remained divided on all counts despite additional deliberations ordered by the court. Judge Anne Hwang concluded that further discussions risked coercing jurors and formally declared a mistrial.
“The court finds there is a manifest necessity to declare a mistrial because the jury is deadlocked,” Hwang said in court, according to reports from the proceedings.
Federal prosecutors allege Rinderknecht deliberately ignited a fire on Jan. 1, 2025, that continued smoldering before reigniting under strong winds days later and becoming the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles County history. Prosecutors relied largely on circumstantial evidence, including cellphone location data, surveillance footage and testimony from investigators.
Defense attorney Steve Haney rejected the allegations, arguing that prosecutors failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt and that investigators overlooked other possible causes of the initial blaze. Speaking after the ruling, Haney said, “Ten to two for not guilty is an overwhelming message from the jury that the government failed and did not have enough evidence to prove their case.” He added that his client would continue to contest the charges if retried.
Following the ruling, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli said his office would pursue a second trial.
“The evidence is strong that Jonathan Rinderknecht is responsible for igniting the fire,” Essayli said in a statement, adding that prosecutors intended to seek convictions on all counts in a new trial.
Judge Hwang ordered Rinderknecht to remain in federal custody pending further proceedings. Court records indicate a status conference is scheduled for July, while a retrial has been tentatively set for October. Authorities have not announced any changes to the charges, and the case remains pending.
