{"id":5391,"date":"2026-06-26T04:10:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T04:10:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=5391"},"modified":"2026-06-26T04:10:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T04:10:59","slug":"deadlocked-jury-in-palisades-fire-trial-of-central-florida-man-leaves-attorneys-weighing-next-steps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=5391","title":{"rendered":"Deadlocked jury in Palisades Fire trial of Central Florida man leaves attorneys weighing next steps"},"content":{"rendered":"
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LOS ANGELES (AP) \u2014 Attorneys are weighing their options after a jury said it could not decide whether to convict the Central Florida man accused of sparking the deadly 2025 Palisades Fire in Los Angeles after two days of deliberation.<\/p>\n

Read more Fun Spot to close Atlanta location in August<\/a><\/p>\n

Jurors said Thursday they couldn\u2019t reach a consensus in the trial of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, of Melbourne on three federal charges, a surprise development after less than 30 minutes earlier they said they had come to a unanimous verdict. They were asked to return to court Friday morning.<\/p>\n

Judges often do not declare mistrials until multiple steps have been taken to ensure a jury is truly deadlocked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have people on both sides that are dead set, unwavering and unwilling to change their opinion,\u201d a note from the jury read by Judge Anne Hwang said. \u201cWe are at a standstill. We are unsure how to proceed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rinderknecht pleaded not guilty to starting what became one of the most destructive wildfires in California history. He was charged with arson, malicious destruction by means of a fire and timber set aflame.<\/p>\n

Prosecutors say Rinderknecht started a fire on Jan. 1, 2025, that burned undetected deep in root systems before flaring back up a week later. The Palisades Fire began Jan. 7 and burned through the hillside neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades and Malibu, killing 12 people.<\/p>\n

His trial began June 8 and has featured lengthy testimony from investigators, experts and witnesses from surrounding areas. While the government lacked direct evidence that Rinderknecht sparked the first fire, they placed him in the area and showed he was angry and erratic on the night of the blaze. A potential motive, they said, was his frustration at the rich and powerful. His defense argued the blaze\u2019s cause was more likely to be fireworks.<\/p>\n

Read more Board considers rule to block undocumented students from Florida universities<\/a><\/p>\n

Hwang sent a note asking if there was anything the court could do to help with deliberations, such as additional instructions or re-reading of testimony. The jury said no. She then asked if the jury was split on all three of Rinderknecht\u2019s charges, and the jury confirmed it was.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Prosecutors suggested that the judge offer additional argument to help the jurors continue to deliberate, but Rinderknecht\u2019s attorneys opposed. They also suggested an Allen charge, which is essentially a more strongly worded jury instruction that urges a hung jury to continue trying to come to an agreement.<\/p>\n

Both sides asked for the jury to return Friday so they had more time to plan their options.<\/p>\n

Rinderknecht\u2019s father, who has been in court for the duration of the trial, put his head in his hands when the jury said it was at a standstill. His brother and sister were in court as well.<\/p>\n

Rinderknecht was feeling \u201ca lot of anxiety\u201d as he listened to proceedings in court, his attorney Steve Haney said.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can imagine his life\u2019s on the line. \u2026 It\u2019s been a long run for him,\u201d Haney said. \u201cHe\u2019s been locked up for 10 months.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more 74-year-old man becomes oldest inmate executed in modern Florida history<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jurors said Thursday they couldn\u2019t reach a unanimous decision in the trial of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, of Melbourne on three federal charges, a surprise development after they said they had come to a unanimous verdict.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5390,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5391","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime-and-public-safety","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nDeadlocked jury in Palisades Fire trial of Central Florida man leaves attorneys weighing next steps - Orlando Relocation Report<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=5391\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Deadlocked jury in Palisades Fire trial of Central Florida man leaves attorneys weighing next steps - 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