1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: You know that big Palisades fire in Los Angeles earlier 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 1: this year, massive one twelve people died. Cops have just 3 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 1: arrested a guy from Florida. 4 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:13,400 Speaker 2: Jonathan rendernessh aged twenty nine, residing in Melbourne, Florida, was 5 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:17,239 Speaker 2: taken into federal custody by ATF special agents, a Los 6 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 2: Angeles City Fire Department investigator, and a Los Angeles Police detective. 7 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,799 Speaker 2: Render Neck, as the US attorney mentioned, as charged under 8 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 2: Title eighteen eight forty four F malicious destruction by means 9 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 2: of a fire real property owned by an organization receiving 10 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 2: federal financial assistance. I can tell you this from day one, 11 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 2: ATF and our partners have been relentless. We made a 12 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 2: promise to find answers, and we have kept that promise. 13 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: Nick Happa is a US correspondent. Nick, What do we 14 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 1: know about him? 15 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 2: Hey, good morning, Ryan. 16 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:50,159 Speaker 3: Not a great deal at this stage, whenever that he's 17 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:53,159 Speaker 3: a twenty nine year old man, Jonathan Rindagnick. As we 18 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 3: heard there, he was allegedly working as an uber driver 19 00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 3: at the time, and after dropping off someone, he started 20 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 3: a fire on a nearby trail and it was that 21 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 3: fire that then spread dramatically right around the area, leading 22 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 3: to the destruction of almost seven thousand buildings and twelve 23 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 3: people unfortunately also died in these fires. I mean, it 24 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 3: was unbelievable some of those pictures, those images that we 25 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,759 Speaker 3: saw coming out of Los Angeles in January this year. 26 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 3: Prosecutors say that he maliciously started this blaze. They don't 27 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 3: know the motive yet, but they are very much saying 28 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 3: that he was behind it, that he orchestrated it, and 29 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 3: that he did plan this to happen. But of course 30 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 3: the extent of this fire was not known at the time. 31 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 3: I guess when he started this, he could not have 32 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 3: predicted it. At the moment, he's being charged with destruction 33 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 3: of property, but of course additional charges may be added, 34 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 3: and we could see things including the amount of buildings 35 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 3: destroyed seven thousand added to those charges, potentially even something 36 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 3: related to the deaths of those twelve people as well. 37 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 1: All Right, Nick on Comy, he's obviously burning called this 38 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: as far as an arraignment, and he's playing not guilty. 39 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: And I see that his lawyers are going after the 40 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: US attorney that Trump appointed. 41 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's right. I mean they feel that this is 42 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 3: just a hit job against James Comy, the former FBI director. 43 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 3: They feel it's payback retribution from the US president who 44 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 3: has been targeting and where possible, trying to prosecute his enemies. 45 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 3: Donald Trump has described Comy and others as guilty as hell. 46 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 3: His lawyers, though, say that this is something that has 47 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 3: just been targeted against the FBI director, the former FBI director, 48 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 3: and that is it is a malicious and selective prosecution. 49 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 3: His lawyers trying to get this case thrown out, also 50 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 3: not happy with the judge Trump appointed judge there presiding 51 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:46,679 Speaker 3: over the case. There is a possibility of five years 52 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 3: in jail for James Comy if he's found guilty. Trial 53 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 3: takes place at the beginning of next year, January the fifth. 54 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 3: The president, of course, arguing that he has to get 55 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 3: behind bars for being part of this Trump Russia probe. 56 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 3: Looking at Donald Trump's went back in twenty sixteen, they 57 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 3: say that he lied to Congress about exactly what he 58 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 3: was involved in that investigation. 59 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: Cheers Nick Nick Harper, a US correspondent. 60 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 2: For more from early edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live 61 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 2: to news Talks it'd be from five am weekdays, or 62 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 2: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.