Jury deadlocks in federal trial of man accused of starting deadly Palisades Fire in Los Angeles

Jurors in the federal trial of a man accused of starting the deadly 2025 Palisades Fire in California told a judge on Thursday that the panel was deadlocked — shortly after previously stating they had reached a verdict.

The announcement came on the second day of deliberations in the trial against Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, following a 10-day federal trial over the blaze. The conflagration stands as the most destructive in Los Angeles County's history and claimed at least a dozen lives.

A note sent by the jury foreman to the judge initially stated that the panel had reached a verdict. However, a second note sent just minutes later claimed the opposite.

"We have people on both sides that are dead-set. Unwavering. We are at a standstill. We are unsure how to proceed," the note read.

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