A federal judge declared a mistrial on June 26 in the case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, who was accused of deliberately starting a fire that ultimately became one of the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history. The jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on any of the three felony charges against Rinderknecht, with a 10-2 deadlock favoring acquittal.

Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver holding dual U.S.-French citizenship and a former resident of the fire-affected area, has been held in custody since his arrest in Florida in October 2025. The charges against him included destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce, and burning timber on public land, all linked to the Palisades Fire that erupted on January 1, 2025.

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California announced plans to retry Rinderknecht, emphasizing the strength of the evidence suggesting his responsibility for igniting the fire. The U.S. District Judge Anne Hwang ordered Rinderknecht to remain in custody until a scheduled status conference in mid-July, with a tentative retrial date set for October 19.

Rinderknecht’s defense attorney, Steve Haney, rejected the prosecution’s case, asserting his client’s innocence and dismissing any possibility of a plea deal. Haney interpreted the jury’s split as a clear indication that the government failed to meet its burden of proof. He also challenged the official narrative regarding the fire’s origin, arguing that holiday fireworks likely caused the initial blaze rather than Rinderknecht’s actions, and suggested that the large-scale wildfire was caused by a separate arsonist.

Prosecutors contended that Rinderknecht started a brush fire on New Year’s Day, which appeared extinguished but smoldered underground, later reigniting six days later amid strong Santa Ana winds to become the Palisades Fire. The disaster destroyed nearly 7,000 homes and caused an estimated $150 billion in property damage. The Palisades Fire coincided with another lethal fire in Eaton Canyon, fueled by downed power lines, which killed 19 people and devastated the Altadena community.

Prosecution relied heavily on arson investigators’ conclusion that the Palisades Fire was a "holdover fire," reignited from the earlier smoldering brush fire. They also presented security footage and cell phone data placing Rinderknecht near the fire’s origin shortly after midnight on January 1. Rinderknecht admitted to walking alone in the area and possibly smoking cigarettes but denied starting any fire.

In their closing arguments, prosecutors depicted Rinderknecht as harboring resentment toward wealthy individuals and society, motivated by personal difficulties to commit arson as an act of “societal revenge.” The jury deliberated for 13 hours before reporting a deadlock, leading to the mistrial declaration the following day.

Rinderknecht faces a potential sentence of up to 45 years if convicted in a future trial.