LOS ANGELES, Ca. — As the city of Los Angeles counts votes in a mayoral race tied largely to the current mayor’s response to the Pacific Palisades fire in January 2025, the man accused of setting the fire is preparing to face a jury.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, from Brevard County, is accused of setting a fire New Year’s Day, 2025 that smoldered underground for a week before erupting into the Palisades fire.
He’s charged with arson and destruction of property. The Palisades fire killed 12 people and destroyed nearly 7,000 structures over a three-week span. It’s considered one of the most destructive wildfires in California history.
Prosecutors intend to frame Rinderknecht as a mentally disturbed man who was fascinated by fire and the concept of cities burning to the ground. They have amassed thousands of pieces of evidence, including ChatGPT prompts, AI images, and videos they say Rinderknecht created before and after he started the fire.
Rinderknecht’s attorney says he’s a scapegoat for an angry city, and nothing can directly tie the fire he’s accused of setting to the Palisades fire, other than the two fires, one week apart, were in the same area.
The judge in the case has barred prosecutors from introducing the AI images in the case, and barred testimony from several firefighters she decided had a high probability of confusing the jury, but who may have helped Rinderknecht’s case if they were allowed to speak.
Other fire department actions can be discussed, including its initial response to and investigation of the original fire that burned some brush.
The trial will begin at 8:30 a.m. local time.
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