An Uber driver accused of “maliciously” sparking the devastating Palisades Fire listened to a rap song with themes of “despair and bitterness” with a music video that features the French artist setting things ablaze nine times before the deadly crime, a new complaint reveals.
French-born Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, went to YouTube to listen to the French rap song “Un Zder, Un The,” by artist Josman, just before midnight on December 31, minutes before the blaze was first captured on camera, as Los Angeles welcomed in the new year with the most destructive wildfire in its history, according to the complaint.
“The music video for the song shows the main character (Josman) lighting things on fire,” the court documents say.
An English translation of the song’s lyrics reveals the theme is “despair and bitterness,” according to the complaint.
“Google records indicate that Rinderknecht had listened to the same song nine times in the previous four days,” it states. He watched the corresponding music video four times.
The alleged arsonist also made disturbing ChatGPT prompts, requesting “A dystopian painting divided into distinct parts that blend together seamlessly. On the far left, there is a burning forest. Next to it, a crowd of people is running away from the fire, leading to the middle,” the complaint said.
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