Palisades Fire case opens with disturbing 911 calls played in court

The jury in the case of the alleged Palisades firestarter listened to the troubling 9-1-1 calls that the accused man made after starting the blaze on New Year’s Eve.The suspect, Jonathan Rinderknecht, made his court appearance Wednesday morning in the US District Court for the Central District of California wearing a black suit and tie.He appeared solemn as his attorney prepared to advocate on his behalf.Rinderknecht was on the hill that night to watch fireworks, his attorney Steve Haney told the courtroom.While there, he made 16 emergency calls to report a fire.“I’d like to report a fire,” he said, according to his attorney.“In the Highland, yes we are aware,” an operator allegedly responded.Haney said he would prove that the fire was started with fireworks.Prosecutors disagreed, painting a story that suggested Rinderknecht acted like a pyro who is angry at the world.They said Rinderknecht “blamed society” for all of his problems and used ChatGPT often.

In one ominous case, prosecutors said he asked the artificial intelligence model in July 2024 to create an image of a fire.He also looked at pictures of fires and took videos of fire engines leaving a Hollywood Los Angeles Fire Department station, prosecutors said.Rinderknecht also took his fire obsession to his music playlist, they alleged.

He often listened to a song by a French rapper, including at least once on the day of the fire, who lit objects on fire during the song’s music video.The alleged pyro also asked ChatGPT why “he was so angry all the time.” Prosecutors said he was particularly incensed about his relationship with his girlfriend and society.California's top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.

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Never miss a story He felt that anger, according to prosecutors, on the day of fire.He was working as...