Episode
Jury Deadlock in Rinderknecht Fire Trial
- Published
- Jun 27, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 96
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Summary
The jury deadlocked in the high-stakes trial of former Uber driver Jonathan Rinderknecht, accused of starting the Lachman Fire that ignited the massive Palisades Fire — a case that could land him up to 45 years in prison. With a 10-2 split favoring not guilty, the judge declared a mistrial, citing the impossibility of further deliberation. Prosecutors claimed Rinderknecht intentionally set a small fire near a trail, which later exploded into a wildfire, backed by cellphone data, security footage, and digital activity. The defense countered that the fires were unrelated, relying on witness testimony. Despite the deadlock, Rinderknecht remains in custody, with no release granted due to concerns over future court appearances. A new status hearing is scheduled for July 15, with a possible retrial in October — a case that underscores the razor-thin line between intent and accident in wildfire prosecutions. Support the show: Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: [email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting. Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates: https://sources.thednn.ai/4b0250f7a40ace16