After four days of deliberations and a nearly 3-week-long trial, the verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial is in. As it was stated, Rittenhouse was found not guilty of all five of the charges against him, which included first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide, and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety.
The misdemeanor weapons possession charge and a non-criminal curfew violation were dismissed by Judge Bruce Schroeder before jury deliberation started.
BREAKING: Kyle Rittenhouse Found NOT Guilty of All Charges
This verdict was reached after the jury, made up of 5 men and 7 women, deliberated for a full three days. Rittenhouse was charged with shooting and killing two men and wounded a third while at the unrest that occurred following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a black man, in August 2020.
After the verdict was read, Kyle Rittenhouse began to cry having just learned he had been acquitted on all charges. In terms of an appeal, CNN legal analyst Elie Honig said, “This is over. The prosecution cannot appeal. A not guilty verdict is final. So this will be the end of the state prosecution of Kyle Rittenhouse.”
Rittenhouse is 18 years old. Anthony Huber’s girlfriend, Hannah Gittings, and his great aunt were present in the building, as was Joseph Rosenbaum’s fiancé Kariann Swart, according to Spectrum News Wisconsin.
This trial captivated the world in many instances. In Rittenhouse’s testimony, he claimed that he “didn’t do anything wrong.” Instead, he said, through tears, “I defended myself.”
At the August 25, 2020 protest, Rittenhouse fatally shot Joseph Rosenbaum after Rosenbaum chased Rittenhouse and threw a plastic bag at him before trying to flee the area. A crowd of people then Rittenhouse, who shot at a man who tried to kick him. Rittenhouse then fatally shot Anthony Huber, who hit him with a skateboard and also wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, who was armed with a pistol, CNN reported.
Twenty-two witnesses testified at the trial for the prosecution. They tried to use those witnesses to prove that Rittenhouse provoked Rosenbaum by pointing the rifle at him.
The defense hit back that Rittenhouse feared for his life in the moments he shot his victims and acted in self-defense.