In Palisades fire trial, judge bars evidence of alleged burned Bible and arson threat

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A federal judge on Friday declined to allow testimony that the defendant on trial for the Palisades fire had at one point burned a Bible and threatened to burn down his sister’s house, while warning the defense attorney “to tighten up your questioning.”U.S.District Judge Anne Hwang said Jonathan Rinderknecht’s prior acts were not “direct evidence of the charges in the case,” but that she was concerned that the defense’s cross examination of a federal agent left the impression that he had never expressed interest in deliberately lighting fires.

Rinderknecht is charged with starting the Lachman fire, which smoldered underground for a week before exploding into the deadly Palisades fire on Jan.7, 2025.

If convicted, he faces up to 45 years in prison.Ahead of the trial, which began this week, Hwang ruled that prosecutors could not introduce those prior acts because they were prejudicial.But Asst.

U.S.Atty.

Mark Williams argued Friday that Rinderknecht’s defense attorney had opened the door to the topic with his questioning the day prior.In Steve Haney’s questioning of the prosecution witness on Thursday, U.S.Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Agent Michael Montevidoni, the defense attorney pointed out that his client never asked ChatGPT for advice to plot a fire.“You never found any searches in any of the devices regarding arson, right?” Haney asked.

“Any internet searches for deliberately starting a fire ...any Internet searches on what type of incendiary device, lighter, torch, flare, might be better used to start a fire? ...

Never found any purchases of fire-starting materials?”Over and over again, the ATF agent responded no.California An ATF agent testified Jonathan Rinderknecht was dealing with major anxiety and anger issues when he allegedly caused a fire in 2025 that later reignited as the destructive and deadly Palisades blaze.Williams sa...