LOS ANGELES — The 29-year-old man accused of setting a New Year’s Day fire that prosecutors say smoldered for a week and grew into what became the deadly Palisades Fire pleaded not guilty Thursday to three federal charges.
Jonathan Rinderknecht was arrested in Florida on Oct. 7, but has since been transferred to Los Angeles and was being held at the downtown Metropolitan Detention Center, according to the US Attorney’s Office.
Rinderknecht pleaded not guilty Thursday afternoon in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom to one count of destruction of property by means of fire, one count of arson affecting property used in interstate commerce, and one count of timber set afire.
Wearing white jail garb with a chain around his waist — but not handcuffed — Rinderknecht appeared before US Magistrate Judge Rozella Oliver, and spoke in a loud, clear voice as he pleaded “not guilty” to the charges. He also acknowledged to the judge that he understood the charges against him.
Oliver scheduled him to return to court Nov. 12 for a status conference, and a tentative trial was set for Dec. 16.