Kyle Rittenhouse found not guilty on all counts

https://www.yahoo.com/news/kyle-rittenhouse-acquitted-charges-181705780.html

Kyle Rittenhouse found not guilty on all counts

November 19, 2021

A jury on Friday found Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty on all five counts in the 2020 fatal shooting of two men in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The big picture: Defense lawyers argued Rittenhouse acted in self-defense when he shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and injured Gaige Grosskreutz, in Kenosha in August 2020.

The prosecution argued Rittenhouse was the aggressor and provoked the “entire incident” that led to the shooting.

Rittenhouse, who was 17 years old at the time, said he traveled to Kenosha with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle to protect property and provide medical treatment amid volatile protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

Rittenhouse initially faced six counts, but the presiding judge dismissed the possession of a dangerous weapon by a minor charge ahead of closing arguments on Monday.

For nearly two weeks, the jury heard testimony from dozens of witnesses and experts. Rittenhouse also testified in his own defense.

Of note: Judge Bruce Schroeder has drawn criticism from some for his manner during the trial, which has seen him clash verbally with the prosecution and occasionally launch into verbose legal explanations, the New York Times reported.

The jury was “overwhelmingly white,” reflecting the majority-white population of Kenosha County, according to the Times.