Palisades Fire arson trial ends without verdict after jury deadlock

• A mistrial was declared in the case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, who is accused of starting the deadly 2025 Palisades Fire in Los Angeles .
• The federal judge made the declaration after the jury reported being deadlocked, with 10 jurors favoring a not-guilty verdict and two determined to convict.
• Rinderknecht faced three federal charges, including arson and malicious destruction by fire, to which he had pleaded not guilty.
• Prosecutors allege Rinderknecht started the fire on January 1, 2025, which later flared up on January 7, burning through the hillside neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades and Malibu.
• The Palisades Fire resulted in the deaths of 12 people, and federal prosecutors have announced their intention to retry the case.

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Mistrial declared in Palisades Fire arson case after jury deadlocked in Los Angeles