It sends the unacceptable message that armed civilians can show up in any town, incite violence, and then use the danger they have created to justify shooting people in the street," they said. "Today's verdict means there is no accountability for the person who murdered our son. In a statement, Huber's parents, Karen Bloom and John Huber, said that their son "would have his day in court" and that they were "heartbroken and angry" over the acquittal. Rittenhouse could still be sued for damages in a civil trial, where the burden of proof is lower than in criminal trials. However, unless the state proves beyond a reasonable doubt that this wasn't reasonable and that he didn't believe that he needed to use deadly force to defend himself, then the only proper verdict is acquittal," said Chris Zachar, a criminal defense attorney based in La Crosse, Wis., who was not involved in the trial. Rittenhouse to Kenosha that evening and how he reacted. "Some might have had concerns about the decisions that brought Mr. Law As the nation awaits a Kyle Rittenhouse verdict, some raise eyebrows at the judge Asked on the witness stand what was going through his mind during their encounter, Grosskreutz replied, "That I was going to die."īut prosecutors also made repeated missteps, prompting defense lawyers to request a mistrial on two occasions, the first over Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger questioning Rittenhouse's right to remain silent and a second over a drone video that prosecutors had inadvertently compressed when sharing it with defense lawyers.Īnd legal experts said prosecutors relied too heavily on video evidence that was difficult to interpret and witnesses who offered testimony that at times seemed to bolster Rittenhouse's case. Grosskreutz testified that he feared for his own life, given the presence of Rittenhouse's rifle, and was trying to disarm Rittenhouse, not kill him. Rosenbaum was unarmed, they pointed out, yet Rittenhouse shot him four times, all as Rosenbaum was falling to the ground. He chose to bring a deadly rifle into a dangerous environment, they said, and chose to stay there even after being separated from a friend. Prosecutors argued that Rittenhouse was responsible for creating those situations. Law With closing arguments over, the Kyle Rittenhouse case now heads to the jury The criminal trial ends with acquittal, but civil lawsuits could be coming In a series of chaotic encounters with protesters, documented thoroughly by photographs and videos, Rittenhouse shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and injured Gaige Grosskreutz, then 26. Rittenhouse, who lived across the state line in Antioch, Ill., testified that he intended to act as a medic and help protect private property.īut the night spiraled out of control. Rittenhouse armed himself with an AR-15-style rifle on a night of unrest in Kenosha sparked by the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who was left paralyzed after an encounter with a white officer. A chaotic night of unrest in Kenosha turns deadly Prosecutors declined to give further comment. "We ask that members of our community continue to express their opinions and feelings about this verdict in a civil and peaceful manner." We are grateful to the members of the jury for their diligent and thoughtful deliberations," said the Kenosha County District Attorney's Office in a statement. "While we are disappointed with the verdict, it must be respected. 25, 2020, was filled with deadly peril for the then-17-year-old.Īmerica Reckons With Racial Injustice What we learned from the 2nd week of the Kyle Rittenhouse homicide trial In two weeks of testimony and evidence - led by a daylong turn on the stand by Rittenhouse himself - defense attorneys were able to convince the jury of 12 that the night of Aug. "To say that we're relieved would be a gross misunderstatement." He wishes none of this would have ever happened, but as he said when he testified, he did not start this," said Rittenhouse's defense attorney Mark Richards, speaking to reporters outside the courthouse. "He has a huge sense of relief for what the jury did to him today. The verdict, delivered Friday, follows a highly watched trial in which prosecutors struggled to overcome Rittenhouse's claim that he acted in self-defense on the night of the shootings. Kyle Rittenhouse, the 18-year-old who fatally shot two people during the unrest last year in Kenosha, Wis., has been acquitted of all charges in a criminal trial that divided the nation over questions about gun rights, violence at racial justice protests and vigilantism. Kyle Rittenhouse (center) looks over to his attorneys as the jury is dismissed for the day on Thursday during his trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |