Judge declares mistrial in case of Palisades fire arson case in California

A judge has declared a mistrial in the case of a man accused of starting the deadliest wildfire in Los Angeles history.

Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, is accused of deliberately lighting a blaze in January 2025 that grew into the Pacific Palisades fire, killing 12 people and destroying more than 6,000 buildings.

Jurors told the court on Thursday that they were unable to reach a unanimous decision in the case after two days of deliberations, prompting the judge to declare a mistrial.

Prosecutors said they intend to retry the case.

On Friday, one of the attorneys for Rinderknecht said the mistrial was a “pretty resounding indication of what the jury felt about this case” and that they were not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt, US media reported.

Rinderknecht, who once lived in the affluent coastal community, was arrested in October and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Prosecutors argued the accused used ChatGPT like a diary, chronicling his fascination with fire before travelling to the area and lighting the blaze.

“The evidence is strong that Jonathan Rinderknecht is responsible for igniting the fire on January 1, 2025, which eventually became the Palisades fire,” US attorney Bill Essayli said in a post on social media after the mistrial.