A jury has reached a verdict in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, the teenager who killed two people and shot another during unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last summer. The verdict will be read in court shortly.
The verdict came after a two-week trial highlighted by Rittenhouse taking a stand and telling the jury he shot the men in self-defense.
“I did nothing wrong. I defended myself,” he testified.
Rittenhouse, 18, was charged with five felony counts:
- First degree intentional homicide
- First degree reckless murder
- Intentional first-degree murder
- Two first degree reckless acts endangering safety
The jury may also consider lesser offenses on two of the five counts.
Judge Bruce Schroeder denied possession of a light weapon and a non-criminal curfew violation.
Fees derived from last year’s chaotic unrest after Kenosha Police shot Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man. After violent riots and destruction, Rittenhouse, 17 years old at the time, brought a medical kit and an AR-15-style rifle and joined a group of other armed men in Kenosha on the day August 25, 2020.
There, Rittenhouse shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum – who was chasing the teenager and threw a plastic bag at him – and then tried to flee the area. A mob pursued the teenager, and Rittenhouse shot a man who was about to kick him; shot and killed Anthony Huber, who hit him with a skateboard; and wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, who was armed with a pistol.
Prosecutors called 22 witnesses over the course of six days as they sought to prove that Rittenhouse provoked Rosenbaum by pointing a rifle at him. Prosecutors describe three other people who confronted the teenager as “heroes” trying to prevent what they believe was an active shooting.
However, the defense said Rittenhouse acted in self-defence and feared for his life when he shot at the men.
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