Kyle Rittenhouse: As acquittal looks possible, National Guard put on alert in Kenosha
As the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse began to wind down on November 12, the prosecutors made a damning admission. They conceded that "a reasonable jury or juror" could acquit Rittenhouse on the most serious of charges and attempted to press for less serious ones. It's just the latest in a long line of setbacks for the state of Wisconsin, in the highly contentious trial. With things looking grim, the city of Kenosha is bracing for days of unrest and is reportedly putting the National Guard on standby.
The case against Rittenhouse appeared to collapse even before it began, with Judge Bruce Schroeder ruling out the use of the term "victim" to describe the men Rittenhouse shot. As the trial progressed, it became even more apparent that things were not going the prosecution's way. On November 8, witness Gaige Grosskreutz conceded he raised his gun first, leading Rittenhouse to shoot him in the arm. Then on November 10, the judge took under advisement the defense's request to call a mistrial.
RELATED ARTICLES
Did Kyle Rittenhouse fake his cry? Trolls slam 'little coward' for emotional testimony
Kyle Rittenhouse: Five things you need to know ahead of 18-yr-old's homicide trial
At the moment, Rittenhouse is facing six charges, of which four are the most serious - First Degree Reckless Intentional Homicide, First Degree Intentional Homicide, First Degree Attempted Intentional Homicide and Possession of a Dangerous Weapon. But, it appears that not even one of those six counts could land Rittenhouse in jail, which led to a last-ditch effort to include lesser counts as well.
'It's the jury's case'
During the trial, the prosecutors have repeatedly failed to overcome Rittenhouse's self-defense argument, not helped by Grosskruetz's testimony. That led the prosecution to request lesser charges be added during closing arguments on November 12. The state has asked for second-degree charges to be added across the board, including one that claims Rittenhouse "provoked" the encounter with Grosskreutz, Joseph Rosenbaum, and Anthony Huber.
The judge ruled against adding lesser charges for the shooting of Rosenbaum but did allow the charges to be added for the shootings of Huber and Grosskreutz. Rittenhouse's lawyers also agreed to the lesser charges, as long as they don't include second-degree reckless homicide, Reuters reported. Under Wisconsin law, the judge can instruct jurors to consider lesser charges than those originally filed, which is what is happening now.
Of course, the final decision whether or not to include those charges lies with the judge, who will weigh on them before issuing a decision on November 13. Then from November 15, the jury will begin to deliberate on the charges after the end of closing arguments. It's unclear at the moment if the judge will decide to keep any of the second-degree charges and should he opt not to, then many experts agree Rittenhouse could be acquitted, given the state has repeatedly failed to provide adequate proof.
Kenosha braces for violence
As the tide turned in Rittenhouse's favor, it was not just the prosecution scrambling, but also the state government. According to reports, as many as 500 National Gaurd members have been put on standby just outside the city. Governor Tony Evers announced the move on November 12, saying, "We continue to be in close contact with our partners at the local level to ensure the state provides support and resources to help keep the Kenosha community and greater area safe."
The Guard won't be deployed immediately, but only if violence in the city gets out of hand. With a not guilty verdict looking very likely, there are strong fears protests could turn extremely violent not just in Kenosha, but all over the USA. In Chicago, the police department has canceled a weekend off for its officers, due to "current crime patterns". Other police departments, including in Los Angeles, New York, Minneapolis, and Washington DC have all refused to comment on preparations if any are being made.
Also adding to the chaos is the fact that the judge, as well as attorneys on both sides, have been targeted with hate mail. As the trial unfolded, many on social media branded Judge Schroeder a "racist" for his decisions, while others have gone on to strongly defend Rittenhouse and declare him innocent in the aftermath of Grosskreutz's testimony. Also, complicating matters is the fact that a verdict is also expected to be reached around the same time over the trial of the men who shot Ahmaud Arbery in February 2020.