Los Angeles (AP) — Federal prosecutors will pursue fewer charges in their second attempt to convict a man accused of starting the deadly 2025 wildfire that became the most destructive in Los Angeles’ history.
A jury deadlocked in June over whether to convict Jonathan Rinderknecht of intentionally sparking the fire that killed 12 people as it incinerated much of the Pacific Palisades and other neighborhoods in Malibu. Ten out of 12 jurors wanted to acquit him on all three felony charges, leading the judge to declare a mistrial. Federal prosecutors vowed to try again, and a second trial is set to start in the fall.
In a new indictment filed Thursday, prosecutors reduced their case against Rinderknecht to two charges and narrowed their scope.
Prosecutors allege that Rinderknecht used a barbecue lighter on January 1, 2025, to spark a fire that burned undetected deep in root systems before flaring back up January 7 to become the Palisades fire, which destroyed more than 6,800 buildings.
All three charges in the first trial blamed Rinderknecht for setting both the January 1 fire and the Palisades Fire. In the new indictment, only one charge references both fires. The other only focuses on the destruction caused by the first fire.
