Opening statements begin in trial for man accused of sparking the deadly Palisades Fire

Opening statements began in the federal arson trial of Jonathan Rinderknecht, accused of sparking the deadly Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, which killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Rinderknecht, who pleaded not guilty, faces charges including malicious destruction by fire, with prosecutors citing geolocation data and a seized lighter as evidence. The defense argues he is a scapegoat for the Los Angeles Fire Department's alleged negligence, but a judge ruled such claims irrelevant for the trial.