Kyle Rittenhouse trial: Prosecution rests its case and judge dismisses curfew citation charge
The testimony to this point has at occasions favored the prosecution’s case that Rittenhouse dedicated 5 felonies and a misdemeanor in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on the evening of August 25, 2020. But different proof — generally from the identical witness — has bolstered the protection’s argument that Rittenhouse, then 17, acted in self-defense when he opened hearth.
“I used to be by no means making an attempt to kill the defendant,” Grosskreutz mentioned. “In that second, I used to be making an attempt to protect my very own life, however doing so whereas taking the lifetime of one other will not be one thing I’m succesful or snug doing.”
Nevertheless, Grosskreutz additionally admitted that he pointed his gun at Rittenhouse earlier than he was shot.
“While you have been standing three to 5 ft from him along with your arms up within the air, he by no means fired, proper?” protection legal professional Corey Chirafisi mentioned.
“Appropriate,” Grosskreutz mentioned.
“It wasn’t till you pointed your gun at him, superior on him along with your gun — now your hand is down pointed at him — that he fired, proper?” Chirafisi requested.
“Appropriate,” Grosskreutz responded.
The paramedic additionally testified that his hid carry license had expired, and he additionally admitted he incorrectly informed investigators his gun had fallen out of his pants earlier within the evening.
Rittenhouse, now 18, has pleaded not responsible to 6 fees, together with first-degree intentional murder, first-degree reckless murder and first-degree tried intentional murder.
The prosecution known as 15 witnesses final week, together with police, witnesses who filmed the shootings and armed males out in Kenosha that evening. 5 different witnesses testified on Monday, and two extra testified on Tuesday.
Protection focuses on Rosenbaum as aggressor
Protection legal professional Mark Richards mentioned Rittenhouse fired solely in self-defense. In opening statements, he described Rosenbaum because the aggressor within the preliminary taking pictures and mentioned Huber and Grosskreutz have been a part of a mob who “attacked him on the street like an animal.”
Rosenbaum had simply been launched from the hospital that morning, his fiancée Kariann Swart testified. She mentioned he was on an antidepressant in addition to remedy to deal with bipolar dysfunction.
Richie McGinniss, a video editor with The Each day Caller information website, testified that Rosenbaum had lunged for the entrance of Rittenhouse’s rifle moments earlier than he was shot.
“It was as if, you already know, in case you have been to lunge at any individual, if anyone have been to lunge, they’d in all probability cease themselves, you already know, from falling face down on the bottom, however the photographs have been fired within the precise occasion that his momentum was going ahead and that continued till Mr. Rosenbaum landed on the bottom,” McGinniss mentioned.
McGinniss was simply ft from the 2 when Rittenhouse opened hearth, and McGinniss mentioned he jumped out of the road of fireplace after which shook his legs out to ensure he hadn’t been hit.
“Given the place I used to be, definitely I used to be at risk,” he mentioned.
McGinniss’ testimony is vital to one of many fees towards Rittenhouse — a felony depend of first-degree recklessly endangering security.
On Tuesday, a forensic pathologist testified that Rosenbaum was first shot within the entrance, bent ahead right into a horizontal place, after which was hit by a deadly bullet to the again.
Dr. Douglas Kelley with the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Workplace testified that Rittenhouse shot Rosenbaum 4 occasions — twice within the entrance, as soon as within the again and as soon as alongside the aspect of his head. Video of the taking pictures reveals Rittenhouse fired at Rosenbaum’s entrance, so Kelley decided that the deadly shot to his again got here as his physique leaned ahead.
“The one time throughout the interplay through which he might have incurred the gunshot wounds to the again and to the correct aspect of the pinnacle was when he was extra horizontal, and the one time that occurs is the final two gunshot wounds,” Kelley mentioned. “The primary two gunshot wounds are represented by the harm to the groin and the harm to the left thigh.”
Kelley mentioned that horizontal place is according to an individual both falling ahead or lunging at somebody. He additionally famous that Rosenbaum had a close-range gunshot wound to his hand.
“That hand was over the barrel of Mr. Rittenhouse’s gun when his hand was shot?” protection legal professional Richards mentioned.
“That is sensible,” Kelley responded.
CNN’s Carma Hassan and Julia Jones contributed to this report.
