Kyle Rittenhouse wept at the verdict of not guilty; Biden stands by the jury
Achievements:Kyle Rittenhouse is not guilty of all counts of murder, reckless endangerment
After four days and more than 24 hours of deliberation, the jurors in Kyle Rittenhouse try it out reached a verdict on friday, found the 18-year-old not guilty of all charges against him.
Rittenhouse was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree reckless murder and first-degree murder that stemmed from a shooting during a violent night out in protest of police brutality and racial justice. tribe in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
He faces a mandatory life sentence. But now, Rittenhouse – who was 17 when he shot three people with an AR-15 rifle – will be free. Rittenhouse shoots and kills Kenosha County resident Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and injured another Wisconsin resident, Gaige Grosskreutz, in a demonstration.
The jury ponders Dozens of videos and witness statements while considering whether Rittenhouse was acting in self-defense or was looking for a fight on the night of August 25, 2020. Uncertain night comes later shot by Jacob Blake, a Black man was paralyzed on his left side when a white police officer shot him multiple times. Officials have get any federal or state fees cleared.
Rittenhouse collapsed, crying as the verdict was read
Rittenhouse stood before the jury on Friday afternoon. As each not guilty verdict was read, he began to cry. By the final sentencing, he seemed to fall to his knees. He was helped and given water, and Rittenhouse then hugged one of his attorneys.
He quickly left the courtroom after the sentencing was completed. His family, sitting in the back row of him in the courtroom, were in tears.
The trial’s eight days of testimony often included raw emotion and extreme tension. Last week, Rittenhouse took a stand to defend himself, and he broke down describing the events that led to him shooting three people.
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Rittenhouse said while declaring self-defense. Later, Rittenhouse said, “I didn’t want to have to kill anyone that night.”
Jacob Blake’s Family Protests Outside Court
As the verdict was read, groups protesting outside the court erupted with cheers and what sounded like boos. Several vehicles outside the courthouse began honking.
Some protesters, including members of Jacob Blake’s family, say that justice has not been delivered in the case. Blake, who is black, was shot by a white police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin – an event that launched violent protests in the city and resulted in Rittenhouse opening fire on several protesters.
“We’re going to keep fighting,” Justin Blake, an uncle, told news cameras taped outside. “Somehow, somehow, 12 jurors have evidence that he’s innocent of the charges, but we have two young men who will never walk through their family doors again.”
“We need to pray for their families,” Blake said.
People near Blake held signs calling for “justice for the victims.” Another sign with a cut on Rittenhouse’s body showed him wearing a T-shirt that read “Konvict Killer Kyle.”
Those who were there to support Rittenhouse smiled. Some shouted, “praise God” and “justice served” while others held signs that read “FREE KYLE” or “Support TRUTH.”
Opposing groups sometimes shouted at each other, but the tense exchanges did not lead to any violence.
Biden ‘stands by what the jury’ has decided
President Joe Biden reacted to Rittenhouse’s ruling when he arrived at the White House on Friday, telling reporters he stands by the ruling.
“I support what the jury has to say. The jury system works,” Biden said.
In an official statement released later, Biden added: “While the Kenosha ruling will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included, we must acknowledge that the The jury has spoken.”
Biden urged Americans to “express their views peacefully, in accordance with the rule of law.” He said the White House and federal authors have been in touch with the Wisconsin governor’s office and that he spoke with Governor Tony Evers Friday afternoon to offer assistance and “any assistance needed to ensure public safety.”
“Violence and destruction of property have no place in our democracy,” he said.
Biden declined to say whether he has stand by the tweet he posted after the shootings in 2020 that equated Rittenhouse with white supremacy, which the Rittenhouse family considered defamatory.
Earlier this week, Evers sending about 500 Wisconsin National Guard soldiers to the Kenosha area on standby. According to Evers’ office, the military will help “hundreds of officers from volunteer law enforcement agencies” should they need assistance in the event of unrest.
The Kenosha Unified School District said many schools in Kenosha switched to virtual learning on Thursday and Friday due to safety concerns related to testing.
Lawmakers, celebrities react
Lawmakers, celebrities and other high-ranking figures across the country react to the verdict Friday.
U.S. Representative Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said in a statement that the ruling was “unconscionable.”
“It is unconscionable that our justice system allows an armed vigilante – who went to Kenosha, Wisconsin and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber, and wounded Gaige Grosskreutz – to go free. ridiculous self-defense equals the disgusting behavior displayed by the prosecution and the judge,” Beatty said.
US Senator Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said in a tweet that justice has been done. “I hope everyone can accept the verdict, keep the peace and let the Kenosha community heal and rebuild,” he said.
Father Al Sharpton said the ruling was “outrageous and dangerous” that would encourage “those who are wary.” “These continue to be dark days for Blacks killed at the hands of people who believe our lives don’t matter,” he added.
Kyle Rittenhouse’s response to the ruling:From ‘The justice system is broken’ to ‘The justice system has worked’
Outside the courthouse, Mark McCloskey and his wife – both of which gained national attention after they swung their guns at racist injustice protesters marching in the St. Louis last summer – applauded the jury and acquitted.
McCloskey, who is currently running for the US Senate in Missouri, said: “I think it’s a great day for America. It’s a great day for individual liberties. A great day for the Amendment. second judgment”. “I couldn’t be more proud of our American justice system.”
Social media exploded after the ruling, with Celebrities voice their opinions.
Viola Davis responded to the verdict of tweets: “Welcome to America.”
Contribution: Grace Hauck, USA TODAY