Opening statements begin in trial for man accused of sparking the deadly Palisades Fire

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Opening statements began Wednesday in the federal arson trial for the man accused of sparking last year's deadly Palisades Fire in and around Los Angeles.

Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, has pleaded not guilty to starting what became one of the most destructive wildfires in California history. Prosecutors say he started a fire on Jan. 1, 2025, and it burned undetected deep in root systems before flaring back up on Jan. 7.

Whether prosecutors can prove to jurors that Rinderknecht started the fire will be at the center of the trial. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt O'Brien said security camera footage shows where the fire ignited, and investigators were able to place Rinderknecht nearby because he called 911 for help 16 times in quick succession on the evening of Jan. 1. Investigators later seized a barbecue lighter from his car that he admitted to having with him on the trail.

Rinderknecht's attorney Steve Haney, meanwhile, said he won't dispute that Rinderknecht was on the hilltop near the fire's ignition that night but he was there to watch the fireworks after dropping off Uber passengers nearby. Haney said multiple witnesses as well as first responders will be called to testify that they heard fireworks in the area around the time when the fire ignited.

“When all the evidence is in, there will be one thing missing: proof that Jonathan Rinderknecht started that fire on Jan. 1,” Haney told jurors.

The Palisades Fire ultimately killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes as it incinerated hillside neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades and the city of Malibu. Rinderknecht faces at least five years in prison if convicted of charges that also include malicious destruction by means of a fire.

O'Brien, in his opening, painted a picture for the jury of a troubled young man who was lonely and angry at the world after a recent breakup.

“He wanted revenge. Revenge against society because he blamed society for all his troubles,” he said.

Leading up to the trial, Haney has argued that Rinderknecht is being made as a scapegoat for the Los Angeles Fire Department’s failure to fully extinguish the blaze.

Judge Anne Hwang has ruled that the defense can’t introduce evidence or arguments about alleged negligence by the Los Angeles Fire Department, saying it was irrelevant and could confuse the jury. Defense attorneys had planned to include testimony from a firefighter that the fire was visibly smoldering when first responders left before it reignited days later.