LOS ANGELES — The deranged firebug accused of igniting the devastating Palisades Fire interrupted his federal arraignment in California to grill the judge about his “detainment” — as new videos surfaced showing his past run-ins with cops.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, pleaded not guilty Thursday afternoon in a Los Angeles courtroom for the first time since being slapped with federal charges for sparking the raging inferno that leveled 7,000 homes and businesses, caused $150 billion in damages and left 12 people dead.
The alleged arsonist — shackled and dressed in tan jail garb — interrupted the hearing to question the judge about his custody arrangements before his lawyers quickly told him to pipe down and briefly escorted him out of the courtroom.
His hotshot sports lawyer, whose clients have included NBA players Magic Johnson and Malik Beasley, later told reporters that, despite pushing 30, his client is a “young man” who is confused and frustrated about being in jail.
Rinderknecht has been jailed without bail since his Oct. 8 arrest in Florida.
“What we saw was a great deal of frustration from him; he’s a young man who is not really clear on why he is in jail, and he has a lot of frustration and anxiety right now,” defense attorney Steven Haney told reporters outside the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building.
“I don’t think it was anything unusual or unordinary. As a defense attorney, I kind of like to see that kind of emotion from a client; it makes me understand and feel that they truly believe they are innocent, and that’s kind of what you saw in the courtroom today.”
Haney added that the federal case against his client lacks sufficient evidence.
“They’re trying to associate and blame him for a fire that he was possibly associated with on Jan. 1, the Lachman Fire, with a fire that started seven days later, which is the Palisades Fire. Why are they blaming him for whatever the fire department didn’t do?”
Rinderknecht was arrested at his Florida home and extradited to the Golden State after a federal grand jury in Los Angeles indicted him with arson affecting property used in interstate commerce, destruction of property by means of fire and a count of timber set afire.
