The jury in the murder trial in Wisconsin Kyle Rittenhouse The first day of their deliberations ended on Tuesday, but no verdict was reached, which prompted them to reach a consensus on whether to convict or acquit the teenager on the second day.
The 18-year-old Rittenhouse was charged with killing 36-year-old Joseph Rosenbaum and 26-year-old Anthony Huber and wounding 28-year-old Gaige Grosskreutz on August 25, 2020. The shooting took place during the Kenosha protests—arson, riots, and robberies—before the police shot and killed a black man, Jacob Black, who was paralyzed from the waist down.
Kyle Rittenhouse: Armed volunteers or civic-conscious teenagers?The jury heard the conflicting final arguments
After approximately eight hours of deliberation, Kenosha County Judge Bruce Schroeder stated that he would accept the jury’s request and return at 9 am Central Time (1500 GMT) on Wednesday.
“I know you want to rest at night,” Schroeder said. “You are responsible at this particular moment.”
On Tuesday, a jury of 7 women and 5 men sent two notes to the judge, but neither stated the substance of their discussions. The first note requires an extra copy of the first six pages of the judge’s 36 pages of jury order, and the second note requires the last 30 pages to be copied.
This high-profile case contradicts the prosecution’s argument that Rittenhouse fired at these people without justification and the teenager’s alleged self-defense behavior. Rittenhouse’s most serious crime was facing life imprisonment.
At the beginning of Tuesday, Rittenhouse played an indirect role in reducing the number of jury members. The jury consisted of 18 members, and after two weeks of testimony, it was reduced to 12 for deliberation. He selected six sheets of paper from a metal lottery cup, each with a juror’s number, and was then designated as an alternate.
Rittenhouse has pleaded not guilty and stood up last week to argue that he only fired after the man attacked him. He said Rosenbaum, the first person he shot that night, grabbed the barrel of his semi-automatic rifle.
On Monday, prosecutors and defense lawyers made closing statements https://www.reuters.com/world/us/key-moments-closure-arguments-rittenhouse-murder-trial-2021-11-15, Provides a very different portrayal of the defendant.
The prosecutor described Rittenhouse as a reckless voluntary police officer who provoked a series of violent conflicts, first raising the rifle in a threatening manner, and then firing at Rosenbaum, causing what others were trying to stop. The “active shooter” situation.
The defense stated that Rittenhouse carried a medical kit in addition to the gun. He just wanted to help the injured and protect the used car dealers from the kind of property damage that Kenosha had seen in the two nights before the shooting.
Since George Zimmerman was acquitted in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin in 2013, this shooting has become the most concerned case involving civilians’ right to self-defense.
Like Zimmerman, Rittenhouse has also become a polarizing figure. Some conservatives who support the expansion of gun rights regard him as a hero, and many leftists regard him as a symbol of reckless American gun culture.
Kenosha has been in a state of tension during the trial. A small group of demonstrators stood watching outside the courtroom on Tuesday. Some held placards in support of Rittenhouse, while others called for racial justice and his conviction.
On Tuesday, the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department issued a press release, acknowledging the “anxiety surrounding the Kyle Rittenhouse trial” but saying that there is no need to impose a curfew or close roads at this time.
Nathan Layne reports Alistair Bell, Ross Colvin and Grant McCool editor
