
The thorny issue of race also hung over the case, although Rittenhouse and the men he shot were all white. to go free," the Congressional Black Caucus said in a statement. "It is unconscionable our justice system would allow an armed vigilante.

The verdict was greeted with outrage by many on the political left and celebrated by gun-rights supporters. "While the verdict in Kenosha will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included, we must acknowledge that the jury has spoken," Biden said.Įlsewhere reactions showed the country's deep partisan divisions. US President Joe Biden, who during last year's election campaign tweeted a video that appeared to link Rittenhouse to white supremacists, said on Friday he supported the jury's decision and urged Americans to react with calm. Rittenhouse shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and fired a bullet that tore a chunk off the arm of Gaige Grosskreutz, 28.
#Kyle rittenhouse found not guilty free
"We are all so very happy that Kyle can live his life as a free and innocent man, but in this whole situation there are no winners, there are two people who lost their lives and that's not lost on us at all," David Hancock, a spokesperson for the Rittenhouse family, told Reuters. By early evening, the crowd had thinned to a handful of people and there was no sign of disturbances in the city. His mother also wept.Īmid a heavy law enforcement presence, several dozen protesters lined the steps outside the courthouse after the verdict was read, some carrying placards in support of Rittenhouse and others expressing disappointment. Rittenhouse broke down sobbing after the verdict and collapsed to the floor before being helped back into his chair, his hands shaking. Jurors found Rittenhouse, 18, not guilty on all charges: two counts of homicide, one count of attempted homicide for wounding a third man, and two counts of recklessly endangering safety in protests marred by arson, rioting and looting on August 25, 2020, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. His attorneys argued that the then-17-year-old was acting in self-defense after being attacked from behind when he shot Gaige Grosskreutz, 27, as well as deceased Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26 in the riots following the police shooting of a 29-year-old black man, Jacob Blake.An American jury acquitted teenager Kyle Rittenhouse on Friday of murder in the fatal shooting of two men during racial justice protests in a decision that re-ignited fierce debate about gun rights and the boundaries of self-defence in the United States. The judge tossed one charge of possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18 on Monday after Rittenhouse's defense team argued that a subsection of the law concerning short-barreled rifles was grounds for dismissal. Local officers, media, and protesters were seen positioned around the Kenosha County Courthouse Friday. "Once it's concluded, I'm sure there will be something we have to say from the White House." Shortly before Kyle Rittenhouse was cleared, Psaki said:

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki commented on the case during a press briefing prior to the not guilty verdict being announced. Rittenhouse was facing charges of first-degree reckless homicide, first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide, and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety after he fatally shot two people and injured a third person during the second night of violent Black Lives Matter riots in Kenosha on August 25, 2020. The verdict came on the fourth day of deliberations and the 15th day of the trial.Ī breakdown of the Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty verdict:Ĭount 1: First Degree Reckless Homicide - Not GuiltyĬount 2: First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety - Not GuiltyĬount 3: First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety - Not GuiltyĬount 4: First Degree Intentional Homicide - Not GuiltyĬount 5: Attempted First Degree Intentional Homicide - Not Guilt

Rittenhouse, 18, would have faced a mandatory life sentence if found guilty and convicted of first-degree intentional homicide.
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They were capping off an intense trial surrounding the deadly unrest in that city last summer.

Jurors in Kenosha, Wisconsin, declared Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty on all counts on Friday. Kyle Rittenhouse has been found not guilty on all charges by the jury in his "murder" trial. © press Kyle Rittenhouse has been found not guilty on all charges
