Court reporters covering the federal trial of Palisades Fire suspect Jonathan Rinderknecht were briefly convinced Thursday afternoon that the case had reached its conclusion. Instead, the courtroom was hit with an unexpected twist after jurors revealed they were hopelessly divided, leaving the possibility of a hung jury squarely on the table.
Among the first to report that a verdict had been reached was Los Angeles Times Metro reporter Brittny Mejia. Like several other journalists covering the proceedings, she later corrected the update after it became clear the jury had instead informed the judge that deliberations had stalled.
Drama here. Jury sent a note saying they'd reached a unanimous verdict. Then they sent a second note: “We are at a standstill. We are unsure how to proceed.” https://t.co/IGMsnbJO74
— Brittny Mejia (@brittny_mejia) June 25, 2026
According to Mejia, jurors sent a note explaining they were "at a standstill" and emphasized that each side was "deadset" in its position. The judge reportedly responded by offering to provide additional materials or guidance that might help move deliberations forward. The jury, however, sent back another note indicating they did not believe any additional information would change their positions.
The development raises the prospect of a hung jury if jurors remain unable to reach a unanimous decision.
During closing arguments earlier this week, federal prosecutors painted a picture of a calculated act driven by resentment and ideology.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danbee Kim argued that Jonathan Rinderknecht intentionally set a small brush fire around midnight on New Year's Eve 2025 in a remote area bordering the Pacific Palisades' Summit neighborhood. According to prosecutors, firefighters initially believed they had extinguished what became known as the Lachman Fire. Instead, they contend, the fire continued to smolder unnoticed beneath the ground for nearly a week within the root systems of brush and trees.
On January 7, 2025, prosecutors say powerful Santa Ana winds reignited the hidden embers, transforming the smoldering blaze into the catastrophic Palisades Fire that devastated one of Los Angeles County's most affluent communities.
Jury returned another note in Palisades fire trial:
"There is nothing the court can do to assist the jury in their deliberations. Additional instructions or rereading the testimony would not help in deliberations.
Unfortunately we cannot reach a unanimous verdict." https://t.co/eV9MFgpzQu
— Brittny Mejia (@brittny_mejia) June 25, 2026
Kim told jurors that Rinderknecht was motivated by "revenge, anger and loneliness," arguing that he held what she described as a "deeply entrenched belief that the wealthy were destroying the world." According to the prosecution, he viewed the Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that perceived injustice and deliberately targeted the area.
The defense has disputed the government's allegations throughout the trial, leaving jurors to weigh competing interpretations of the evidence presented over the course of the proceedings.
If the jury cannot overcome its current impasse, the judge could ultimately declare a mistrial due to a hung jury, forcing prosecutors to decide whether to retry the case before a new panel.
