Kyle Rittenhouse Trial: Attorneys Make Closing Arguments
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[Update] Jury Reaches Verdict In Kyle Rittenhouse Trial: Not Guilty
The 12-member jury acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse on Friday on all charges in the killing of two men shooting of a third.
A 12-member jury found Rittenhouse not guilty Friday, on all five counts for the shooting of three ex-convicts in August 2020 during protests in Kenosha over the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
Defense lawyers argued he acted in self-defense. And the jury agreed, clearing the 18-year-old of all charges.
Rittenhouse faced a five count charge of:
Count 1: first degree reckless homicide
Count 2: first degree recklessly endangering safety
Count 3: first degree recklessly endangering safety
Count 4: first degree intentional homicide
Count 5: attempted first degree intentional homicide.
The 18-year-old broke down in tears as the not-guilty verdict was being read.
Outside the courthouse in Kenosha, many protesters cheered to the news of the verdict; while some BLM/Antifa thugs booed.
Police and National Guard troops have been deployed in the area.
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[Update] Judge In Kyle Rittenhouse Trial Bars Far-left MSNBC From Courthouse Following Arrest Of Man Stalking The Jury Bus
Judge Bruce Schroeder said Thursday, that police pulled over a man claiming he was instructed to follow the jury bus and take photos of jurors.
The man who identified himself as James J Morrison told police that he is affiliated with far-left cable TV outlet MSNBC. He said he was instructed to follow the jury bus by his boss in New York, identified as Irene Min Joo Byon.
The NBC producer deleted much of her social media presence following the arrest of Morrison, though not before eagle-eyed social media users screenshot her social media profile.
"Last night a person who is alleging to be affiliated with a national media outlet was briefly taken into custody and issued several traffic related citations," the Kenosha Police Department said in a statement. "Police suspect this person was trying to photograph jurors."
Schroeder announced that MSNBC will not be allowed in the courthouse for the remainder of the trial.
“I have instructed that no one from MSNBC news will be permitted in this building for the duration of this trial. This is a very serious matter and I don’t know what the ultimate truth of it is, but absolutely it would go without much thinking that someone who is following the jury bus – that is an extremely serious matter and will be referred to the proper authorities for further action.”
Legal experts slammed the far-left network for trying to dox the jurors.
"The seriousness of this incident cannot be overstated," constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley wrote. "It is not simply because the police suspected MSNBC was trying to take their pictures. If the jurors believed that they were being followed, it could add to their unease about voting in the case."
Twelve Jurors are deliberating the Rittenhouse case for the third day Thursday.
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[Update] Prosecutor In Rittenhouse Trial Mocked For Saying The 17-year-old Brought "Gun To A Fist Fight"
During closing argument Monday, Kenosha Assistant District Attorney James Kraus said that Rittenhouse "brought a gun to a fist fight."
Kraus argued that the 17-year-old: "was too cowardly to use his own fists to fight his way out. He had to start shooting." He also questioned defense attorney's argument that a skateboard which Rittenhouse was hit with, is a deadly weapon.
Response was swift online. Many pointed out the absurdity of expecting a 17-year-old chased by a violent mob calling for his death, to drop his gun and fight with his bare hands.
Others noted that one of the rioters shot by Rittenhouse had a gun. Gaige Grosskreutz pointed his gun as he charged the 17-year-old, while another attacker swung a skateboard at him.
"Since the prosecutor in the Rittenhouse Case used the line 'he brought a gun to a fist fight,' I thought it was the appropriate time to remind you that more people murder with their fists than they do with AR-15s," @KananVitolo wrote on Twitter.
@trashmantom1 wrote: "Kyle Rittenhouse "brought a gun to a fist fight," per prosecutor. Ok so you admit Rosenbaum was trying to fight Kyle but he should have defended himself with kung fu instead of a gun???"
@Jordan918P: "Lol yes fist fight your way through a mob that is hitting you with a skateboard, gun, or whatever else they have..."
After listening to several hours of closing arguments by the defense and prosecution, the jury will now assemble for deliberations at 0300 UTC (9:00 a.m. local time) on Tuesday.
"You will pay no heed to the opinions of anyone, even the president of the United States, or the president before him," Judge Bruce Schroeder told the jurors. "The founders of our country gave you and you alone the power and the duty to decide this case based solely on evidence presented in this court."
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[Update] Kyle Rittenhouse's Attorney Accuses Prosecutor Of Blatantly Lying To The Jury
Defense attorney Mark Richards argued that Binger was unprepared for the trial and harshly dismissed his claim that Rittenhouse provoked the encounters in Kenosha.
"Provocation, another thing, think back to November 2nd when this case started, did you hear one word out of Mr. Binger's mouth about provocation?" Richards asked rhetorically. "You didn't. Because it was never said. But when his case explodes in his face, now he comes out with provocation."
The Defense attorney described the shooting as jury watched the video of what happened that night of August 25.
Richards argued that Rittenhouse was justified in shooting the three rioters who violently attacked him.
Then 17-year-old shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and injured Gaige Grosskreutz, 26.
Outside the Kenosha County Courthouse, far-left protesters have been gathering, threatening violence if Rittenhouse is rightly acquitted.
Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple who made national headlines after carrying guns on their property during a social justice protest near their home last year, are also outside the courthouse.
Mark, who is now running for the U.S. Senate in Missouri, was unapologetic after pleading guilty to misdemeanor fourth-degree assault in June.
“I’d do it again,” he told reporters outside the courthouse in downtown St. Louis. “Any time the mob approaches me, I’ll do what I can to put them in imminent threat of physical injury because that’s what kept them from destroying my house and my family.”
Stay for updates ....
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Then 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse allegedly shot 3 ex-convicts, killing 2, amid the violent BLM/antifa riot in Kenosha, Wisconsin last year. He shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and injured Gaige Grosskreutz, 26
Rittenhouse faces 5-count charge including first-degree intentional homicide, which is Wisconsin’s murder count; attempted first-degree intentional homicide; first-degree reckless homicide and reckless endangering.
Judge Bruce Schroeder dropped the sixth count which was possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18 – a misdemeanor. It is lawful in Wisconsin for a 17-year-old to possess a long-barreled gun in public.
In his closing argument on day 10 of the trial Monday, Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger, speaking about the circumstances surrounding the killing of Joseph Rosenbaum, says “there is this alleged threat that Mr. Rosenbaum made earlier in the evening to kill the defendant.
“I will debunk that. That did not happen,” Binger continued. “It is the one fact in this case the defendant wants you to believe that there is no video of – and in fact I have the video of the entire incident, I played it for you and I’ll show it to you again. There is no threat.”
“There is also no evidence that Mr. Rosenbaum ever wanted the defendant’s gun,” Binger added.
Judge Bruce Schroeder dropped the sixth count which was possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18 – a misdemeanor
As the trial proceeds, businesses in uptown Kenosha are boarded up, bracing for a verdict in the divisive case. About 500 Wisconsin National Guard troops are on standby to assist in Kenosha “if requested by local law enforcement,” Gov. Tony Evers said.
The riot last year -- that led to the August 25 shooting by Rittenhouse -- left Kenosha in ruins with many businesses burnt to the ground by far-left BLM and antifa thugs.
Come for updates on the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse .....