Anne Hwang provides concise, factual profiles of public figures, grounded in current news and official records.
Jonathan Rinderknecht has pleaded not guilty to federal charges linked to the Palisades Fire that destroyed thousands of homes and killed 12 people. Prosecutors say the New Year’s blaze began Jan. 1, 2025 and grew into a deadly inferno by Jan. 7. Defense argues he is being blamed for firefighting failures. Jury selection is underway in a Los Angeles federal court and the trial is expected to last about two weeks.
Jurors in the Jonathan Rinderknecht trial have told the court they cannot reach a unanimous verdict on three federal charges. They were asked to return Friday morning after a note described a deadlock, with discussions previously indicating a verdict had been reached. The Palisades Fire killed 12 people and burned through Pacific Palisades and Malibu. The case has featured extensive testimony while the defense argues fireworks were the cause.
Jurors in the Jonathan Rinderknecht trial have declared a mistrial after a deadlock in deliberations on three federal charges related to the Palisades fire. Prosecutors plan to retry; defense says the split signals not guilty. The Palisades blaze killed 12 and scorched thousands of acres.