Kyle Rittenhouse out on $2M bail wears 'free as f**k' shirt, Internet says 'country may be broken beyond repair'
The first time that Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse was seen in public following his bail, he wore a "Free as f***" shirt drinking beer at a bar in Wisconsin. On Friday, sources revealed that 18-year-old Rittenhouse showed off his freedom from jail on Tuesday afternoon at Winsonsin's Pudgy's Pub in Mount Pleasant. Police were alerted by a caller who was concerned whether Rittenhouse violated his bond agreement by visiting the establishment. But when law enforcement officials looked into the matter, they informed the Kenosha County District Attorney's Office that since he was at the bar with his parents he had not violated his bond agreement, according to reports. In Wisconsin, people under the age of 21 are allowed to drink alcohol if they are with a parent, guardian or spouse who is old enough to drink legally.
Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse was charged with shooting three people and killing two at a protest in Wisconsin last August -- Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and for the attempted murder of Gaige Grosskreutz, also 26. He pleaded not guilty to his charges on Tuesday, January 5, 2021. In the hearing before Kenosha County Court Commissioner Loren Keating, attorney Mark Richards pleaded not guilty on Rittenhouse's behalf to all the charges against him. Rittenhouse's defense still stands the same -- that he shot the rifle in self-defense. At the time of the shooting, Rittenhouse was a 17-year-old and was captured on video shooting two of the three alleged victims then walking towards the police who did not detain him.
He was freed from jail last month after posting a $2 million bond with most of the money raised through a legal defense fund set up by conservatives portraying him as a patriot protecting other people's properties, including actor Ricky Schroder. In his defense, Rittenhouse told police that he fired in self-defense when guarding a business.
In December, Rittenhouse's family sold “Free Kyle” merchandise including $43 bikinis, to raise money for his murder defense trial. The DailyMail had reported that the merchandise catalog also included $26 crop tops, $40 sports bras, $18 mugs, $20 face masks and $45 men's running tops. Other items included T-shirts, hoodies, stickers, mugs, iPhone covers and laptop sleeves that were made available with the words 'Free Kyle'. At the same time, clothing items carrying the slogan "self-defense is a right not a privilege" were also sold. It was with the sales that the Rittenhouse family hoped to bail their son out. "We estimate Kyle's defense costs for trial to be approximately $2 to $2.5million and after turning over $2 million ... cash bail we are essentially starting at zero," the teenager’s mother Wendy Rittenhouse said in a statement at the time. "We still have a long way to go. I know in my heart Kyle will be acquitted.”
People on Twitter have been losing their cool over updates in the Rittenhouse case. "In case you were wondering, Kyle Rittenhouse is hanging out (maskless) in Wisconsin bars after killing two people," one tweeted. "Excuse you? BREONNA TAYLOR WAS SHOT IN HER OWN BED People paid 2 million dollars so Kyle Rittenhouse, who murdered 2 ppl could just walk out on bail These ppl, at the call of OUR PRESIDENT brought zip ties into the Capitol to take hostages?? So....no? We can’t just 'move on'," one tweeted. Another user rued, "Kyle Rittenhouse is not only out on bail, but is hanging out with his mom drinking in Racine, WI. The 'free as fuck' shirt is a nice touch to the fuck you that is our judicial system. This country may just be broken beyond repair."
In case you were wondering, Kyle Rittenhouse is hanging out (maskless) in Wisconsin bars after killing two people pic.twitter.com/do9UzzPXwU
— Savvy☭ (@sleepisocialist) January 8, 2021
Excuse you? BREONNA TAYLOR WAS SHOT IN HER OWN BED
— Heather Thompson Day (@HeatherTDay) January 8, 2021
People paid 2 million dollars so Kyle Rittenhouse, who murdered 2 ppl could just walk out on bail
These ppl, at the call of OUR PRESIDENT brought zip ties into the Capitol to take hostages??
So....no? We can’t just “move on”
Kyle Rittenhouse is not only out on bail, but is hanging out with his mom drinking in Racine, WI. The "free as fuck" shirt is a nice touch to the fuck you that is our judicial system. This country may just be broken beyond repair. pic.twitter.com/fFMJzb9Ryt
— Mike Carpenter 🇦🇲 (@MrCistoolong) January 8, 2021