A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Today in Los Angeles, the trial begins for the man accused of intentionally starting what led to last year's deadly Palisades fire. Twelve people died. More than 7,000 structures were destroyed. Prosecutors claim 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht started a fire on January 1, which then smoldered underground and reignited a week later as the Palisades fire. Here's Steve Futterman.
STEVE FUTTERMAN: The key question in this case isn't how the Palisades fire started, but rather how another fire the Lachman fire started. It ultimately led to the Palisades fire. Prosecutors claim the Lachman fire began around midnight on January 1. While it was mostly put out, it continued to burn underground for around a week. Then on January 7, it exploded into the Palisades inferno. Rinderknecht was charged last October.
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BILL ESSAYLI: We are announcing the arrest of 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht for igniting a fire that ultimately burned down the Palisades.
FUTTERMAN: First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli described what the prosecution says were Rinderknecht's movements.
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ESSAYLI: He exited the car, walked up a nearby trail, took iPhone videos at a nearby hilltop and listened to a rap song whose music video including objects being lit on fire.
FUTTERMAN: And then the prosecution says he started the fire. The defense disagrees. Attorney Steve Haney says the Lachman fire was ignited by errant New Year's fireworks.
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STEVE HANEY: Jonathan did not start the fire on January 1. We believe strongly that we'll prove at trial it was started by a firework.
FUTTERMAN: Haney says his client was at the scene when the Lachman fire began.
HANEY: He was. He was in the area. He was. But he was familiar with the area. He used to live in the area. And like many people, he was on the hill that night to watch the fireworks, right at midnight.
FUTTERMAN: The prosecution says Rinderknecht, an Uber driver, appeared agitated during his rides on New Year's Eve. Laurie Levenson, a former federal prosecutor, says other evidence could play a role.
LAURIE LEVENSON: I do think a lot of this trial is going to come down to some of the forensic evidence and also the investigation that was done originally.
FUTTERMAN: The prosecution plans to introduce internet searches allegedly done by Rinderknecht, including questions about arson. Jury selection begins today. Testimony in the case is expected to last two to three weeks.
For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Los Angeles.
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