Prosecutors paint Palisades Fire suspect as a premeditated arsonist in opening statements

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prosecutors in the federal trial of the man accused of sparking last year’s deadly Palisades Fire laid out a narrative for jurors Wednesday of a premeditated arsonist who tried to cover his tracks, while his attorneys offered an alternate story of a man who tried his best to stop the blaze.

Attorneys presented opening statements in the trial of Jonathan Rinderknecht, who has pleaded not guilty to starting what became one of the most destructive wildfires in California history. Whether prosecutors can prove to jurors that Rinderknecht, 29, started a fire in Los Angeles on Jan. 1, 2025, and that it then turned into the Palisades Fire will be at the center of the trial.

Prosecutors say the Jan. 1 fire burned undetected deep in root systems before flaring back up on Jan. 7. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt O’Brien told jurors that security camera footage shows where and when the fire ignited atop a hill, and investigators were able to place Rinderknecht nearby because he called 911 for help ...