After three-and-a-half days of deliberation, the jury deciding the fate of Kyle Rittenhouse has found the 18-year-old to be not guilty.
Rittenhouse faced the decision from the 12-member jury on six different charges for shooting three men and killing two of them. He waited somberly with his head down while the judge waited for the jury to deliver their verdict, and had no visible reaction when it was announced that he would not go to jail for life.
Rittenhouse was charged with first-degree reckless homicide, use of a dangerous weapon; two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, use of a dangerous weapon; first-degree intentional homicide, use of a dangerous weapon; attempted first-degree intentional homicide, use of a dangerous weapon; and failure to comply with an emergency order from state or local government.
There was a seventh charge brought against Rittenhouse, possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18, but Judge Bruce Schroeder dismissed it on Monday before the trial went into deliberation.
Related
The trial touched on several flashpoints, including racial tension, self-defense, and inciting violence after Rittenhouse took to the streets of Kenosha with an AR-15-style rifle during a protest after police shot and paralyzed Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man. The trial also drew attention for two attempts at a mistrial, with the defense saying they weren't given the same high resolution copy as the jury of a video where Rittenhouse allegedly pointed a weapon at protesters before the shooting.
The judge had said he would consider the mistrial motions after the verdict, although the not guilty verdict made that a moot point.
Rittenhouse's defense argued that he did not start any of the confrontations that resulted in the death of two men. Instead, they claimed Rittenhouse was only trying to protect property from being destroyed in his town when he was attacked, threatened with death, and opened fire in self defense.
The prosecution disagreed with this narrative, arguing that Rittenhouse was a violent vigilante. He was "hunting humans, not deer," Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger said.
Instead of defending the actions of the three men who were shot, prosecutors attempted to show that Rittenhouse was not the hero he claimed to be while 'patrolling' the streets of Kenosha in 2020.
Related
In the days before the jury came to its decision many gathered outside the courthouse in Kenosha, both supporting Rittenhouse and calling for his incarceration.
The trial has seen its share of controversy, from judge Schroeder not allowing the men shot to be called victims— a standard he has for his trials —to his ringtone being the song "God Bless America," which stirred online rumors about his personal politics and beliefs.
Minnesota defense attorney Joe Friedberg argued on News Talk 830 WCCO that Schroeder has dealt well with being in the eye of the storm.
"I don't see him being beyond the pale of being cranky," Friedberg said.
The decision from the jury will now affect future self-defense cases and laws.
