Prosecutors used ChatGPT logs as evidence in the Palisades fire trial
But jurors were unconvinced, and it ended in a mistrial.
But jurors were unconvinced, and it ended in a mistrial.
by Jun 28, 2026, 2:12 PM UTC
Photo by Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Image
Terrence O’Brien is the Verge’s weekend editor. He’s covered the tech industry for over 18 years and knows a thing or two about synths.
Jonathan Rinderknecht was facing arson charges for setting a fire on New Year’s Day in 2025, which became one of the deadliest wildfires in LA history. To make their case, prosecutors turned to location data from his iPhone, security camera footage, and witness testimony. But they also turned to his ChatGPT logs.
Prosecutors said that Rinderknecht had ChatGPT generate images of fire, asked the chatbot, “Why am I so angry all the time?”, and ranted to it about how the wealthy were destroying the world. They also pointed to a screen recording in which Rinderknecht asked ChatGPT whether someone could be blamed for a fire if it was lit by their cigarette.
But the jurors were unconvinced. The trial ended in a deadlock when the jury voted 10-2 in favor of the defense. That led the judge to declare a hung jury and a mistrial.
One juror told CBS LA that she didn’t believe the ChatGPT logs were proof of anything, saying, “I talk to ChatGPT all the time.” She said it actually made her “angry” that they were suggesting his use of the chatbot indicated some sort of character flaw.
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