Kyle Rittenhouse Found Not Guilty On All Charges After Fatally Shooting 2 Men During A Black Lives Matter Protest
Kyle Rittenhouse has been found not guilty on all charges for the deadly shooting of two men during a Black Lives Matter Protest.
The jury’s decision came after 24 hours of deliberation over four days and a week of testimony in the trial.
According to CNN the controversial Judge Bruce Schroeder commended the jury for their efforts. "All of you – I couldn't have asked for a better jury to work with, and it has truly been my pleasure. I think without commenting on your verdict... the verdict themselves, just in terms of your attentiveness and the cooperation that you gave to us justifies the confidence that the founders of our country placed in you," he told them.
According to NPR, in August of 2020, Rittenhouse traveled to Kenosha, Wisconsin armed with an AR-15-style rifle during a Black Lives Matter Protest that was being held in the light of the Jacob Blake police shooting.
The 18-year-old was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide after shooting dead Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber during the protest. Rittenhouse also shot a third man, Gaige Grosskreutz who was wounded.
In closing arguments via CNN, prosecutor Thomas Binger made his case to the jury that Rittenhouse should be found guilty on all counts. "The reasonableness of the defendant's beliefs must be determined from the standpoint of the defendant at the time of the defendant's acts, and not from the viewpoint of the jury now," Binger stated.
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"So put yourself in the defendant's position. Would you have done the same thing?" the prosecutor asked the jury. "Would a reasonable person have done the same thing? Would you have engaged in the reckless conduct that led to this course of events. Would you have gone out after curfew with an AR-15 looking for trouble?"
"Would you have tried to use the gun to protect an empty car lot? No reasonable person would have done these things," Binger finished. In turn, defense attorney Mark Richards accused the prosecution of lying and "misrepresenting" the evidence after Binger claimed that Rittenhouse incited the violence.
The Illinois native's legal team have continuously argued that he was acting in self-defense when he shot the three men. During his testimony last week, Rittenhouse wept to the court saying that he "feared for his life."
The trial has been quite controversial with Judge Bruce Schroeder acting in skeptical ways during the hearings. As OK! previously reported during a Wednesday, November 10, court hearing, the Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge's phone went off — reportedly playing Donald Trump's campaign theme song.
Schroeder also caused a stir after he was reportedly heard making an insensitive comment about "Asian Food" as the courtroom broke for lunch.
