The jury considering arson charges against a man accused in connection with the January 2025 Palisades wildfires indicated Thursday it was at a standstill in an unusual turn of events in a Los Angeles courtroom.
Deliberations in the case of 30-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht began Wednesday morning and verdicts were initially expected to be read Thursday after the jury indicated it had reached a unanimous decision, but a subsequent note to the judge indicated jurors were at a standstill and not sure how to proceed. It was not immediately clear why the jury initially indicated it had reached a decision.
The judge asked whether there was anything the court can do to help jurors in their deliberations, such as a re-reading of testimony or additional instructions. After a brief recess, the jury responded, saying it cannot reach unanimous verdicts and there was nothing the court could do to resolve the impasse.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office issued a statement Thursday afternoon that said the jury was “deadlocked,” and the trial will continue.
“It’s a real head-scratcher, no doubt,” said attorney and NBCLA legal analyst Manny Medrano. “Everything suggested we had a verdict. Clearly, the wrong box was checked.
“Don’t be surprised if the judge instructs the jurors, go back there, keep at it, let’s give it another day or two before we declare it a mistrial.”
After discussions between attorneys for both parties, the jury was told to return to court Friday morning and proceedings ended for the day.
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Rinderknecht faces three arson counts — destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce, and timber set afire.
In closing argument Tuesday, prosecutors asked jurors to return guilty verdicts based on irrefutable location data that placed Rinderknecht at the scene of the first of the two Palisades fires, called the Lachman Fire, on Jan. 1, 2025.
“That is what the evidence has proven throughout this trial, beyond a reasonable doubt,” said Assistant US Attorney Danbee Kim.
ATF fire wild land fire experts testified that burn patterns on bushes and shrubs led them to conclude embers left smoldering underground from the Lachman fire, reignited 6 days later during intense winds and grew into the devastating Palisades fire, making Rinderknecht responsible for the destruction from both events.
Kim said the motive for the arson could be found in Rinderknecht’s online activity, which she said revealed a ‘festering’ anger and frustration with the rich and powerful, and showed jurors evidence photos of a green Bic barbecue lighter found in his car.
Jurors heard the recordings of Jonathan Rinderknecht’s police interview as the arson trial continues. Eric Leonard reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
“He went up a hill in the Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood he personally associated with wealth and rejection, he took this lighter with him,” and said while everyone else celebrated New Year’s, “the defendant lit this fire.”
Rinderknecht’s defense attorney Steven Haney said there wasn’t enough proof his client had ignited that fire, or, that it was caused by arson at all, and told jurors during his closing argument that the more likely explanation for the fire was New Year’s fireworks.
Haney also said the scene of the first fire was never preserved or examined until after the second fire, the Jan. 7 Palisades Fire, burned the same area again, likely destroying clues that might have explained how it started.
He said the government’s conclusions the Lachman Fire smoldered for six days and caused the Palisades fire didn’t make sense.
An ATS expert shared his expertise and findings in the Palisades Fire during the second week of the blaze’s arson trial. NBC4 Investigates’ Eric Leonard reports for the NBC4 News at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, June 15, 2026.
“If you are left uncertain on this bridge between Jan. 1 and Jan. 7, then reasonable doubt remains,” he said.
Rinderknecht faces three federal arson charges that allege he ignited the Jan. 1 Lachman Fire and caused the destruction that followed the re-ignition Jan. 7 in a historic Santa Ana windstorm.
Twelve people died in the Palisades Fire but Rinderknecht was not charged in connection with those deaths, and prosecutors were not permitted to discuss the deaths during the trial.
There are eight women and four men considering the case after two of the original jurors were replaced with alternate jurors during the trial.
The jury foreperson, Juror No. 1, told the judge Tuesday they planned to deliberate between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., but the jury left an hour early Wednesday for an unknown reason.
After deliberations began Wednesday the prosecutors asked the judge if they could send the jury a list of the exhibits presented during the trial, even though the jurors already had access to all of the individual exhibits.
The defense objected, arguing a list, especially from the prosecutors, would suggest that it was important to examine the exhibits, even if jurors didn’t have a specific interest. The judge agreed and no list was provided.