Overview
- Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, pleaded not guilty to three federal counts before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rozella A. Oliver and was ordered to remain detained without bond.
- A status conference is set for Nov. 12 and a jury trial is scheduled for Dec. 16 in Los Angeles federal court.
- He faces charges of destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce, and timber set afire, with potential penalties of five to 45 years.
- Prosecutors describe the Palisades Fire as a holdover from the Jan. 1 Lachman Fire that smoldered underground until Jan. 7, ultimately burning about 23,400 acres, destroying roughly 6,800 structures, and killing 12 people.
- Investigators point to witness statements, video surveillance, cellphone location data, environmental sensors, a recovered lighter, and AI-related content, while the defense argues he is a scapegoat and says intervening firefighting actions break causation.