A mistrial was declared Friday in the case of Jonathan Rinderknecht, who is accused of starting the Palisades Fire, after a juror publicly criticized the prosecution's evidence as "bullshit."
Juror #4, identified as Bryana from Lompoc, California, told The California Post that she felt the government did not present a convincing case and that the trial wasted jurors' time and resources. "It’s disappointing because of how much money and time they put into the same thing. I don’t know… but like, yeah, bullsh*t," she stated.
During the proceedings, Bryana said she frequently questioned the purpose of the presented evidence. "I really felt like, ‘What are we doing here?’ a lot of times. And at first my thoughts were like, ‘Oh, even if he’s guilty, there’s not enough…' You know like you feel like that? You see it on TV all the time — murderers get off, and I mean, that’s how my brain went."
She elaborated that the prosecution's arguments led her to believe Rinderknecht was more innocent, stating, "You’re supposed to be presenting this case to me to convict that man, and I felt like, ‘No, that doesn’t make sense. Like, what?’ Like, you’re making me feel like he’s more and more innocent with each fact."
In court, the jury foreman informed the judge that the group was unable to reach a verdict. When asked if the jurors could agree with more time or court assistance, the foreman responded negatively to all questions, leading to the mistrial declaration. Ten jurors voted not guilty, while two believed Rinderknecht was guilty. Rinderknecht displayed little reaction to the announcement and will remain in custody.
Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced his intention to retry the case. "The evidence is strong that Jonathan Rinderknecht is responsible for igniting the fire on January 1, 2025, which eventually became the Palisades fire. We fully intend to retry this case before a new jury and obtain guilty verdicts on all charged counts," Essayli posted on X.
Bryana described Rinderknecht not as a lone actor, but as a "regular, troubled person." She added that she went into the trial believing he was not guilty based on the presented evidence. She also commended Rinderknecht's attorney, Steve Haney, for his "bougie" attire and for eloquently presenting his client's case.
The Palisades Fire, which Rinderknecht is accused of starting, devastated the region, leveling 7,000 homes and businesses and resulting in 12 fatalities.