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Palisades Fire Trial Ends in Mistrial
The jury deadlocked in the trial of Jonathan Rinderknecht, accused of starting the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Prosecutors alleged he intentionally lit a small brush fire on New Year’s Eve, which smoldered underground before exploding into catastrophe. After days of deliberation, jurors couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict, forcing a mistrial. Now, prosecutors must decide whether to retry him or drop charges — if convicted, he faces 5 to 45 years in federal prison. The case underscores the immense legal and emotional stakes in catastrophic fire…
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