Nathan Layne

KENOSHA WIS. (Reuters). – On Monday, Kyle Rittenhouse’s trial will begin with jury selection. Rittenhouse is accused of killing two and injuring a third man with a military style rifle in protests held in Wisconsin last January.

The defense and prosecution lawyers will start questioning jurors about their political views and biases. They will focus their attention on the issues such as gun rights and policing, which are expected to be the pivotal points of the trial.

Keith Findley from the University of Wisconsin Law School stated that “as much as the judge doesn’t want it to be a politically charged trial, politics will run deep through the thing.”

Rittenhouse is 18, is a hero for conservatives who believe that unfettered firearm rights are protected and view Rittenhouse’s actions as justifiable amid chaos in Kenosha on Aug. 25, 2019, when Rittenhouse killed the three men.

A white officer had shot Jacob Blake (a Black man) a few days before the demonstrations. These protests were triggered by nationwide demonstrations against racism and police brutality, which rocked U.S. towns last year.

Legal experts say that the prosecution led by Thomas Binger (Kenosha County Assistant District attorney) will try to select left-leaning jurors to favor such demonstrations and shun armed citizens who take to the streets.

Mark Richards is the defense attorney. He will be focusing on getting a right-leaning jury. This includes people who support the right to bear arm, law enforcement, and have likely voted for President Donald Trump.

Michael F. Hart is a Milwaukee criminal defense lawyer. He said, “The scripts were flipped on that one.” Hart noted that while the prosecution would usually be seeking to win jurors who value law and order, the prosecution will normally do so. This makes the case interesting and unique.

Findley stated that jury selection in Rittenhouse was crucial due to the subjective nature and political divides of how jurors were viewed.

There is no dispute about the facts. The two sides will concentrate on persuading the jury how Wisconsin law applies to deadly force. This means that someone can use deadly force to stop their death or to cause great bodily harm.

Rittenhouse is a nearby resident in Antioch, Illinois. Rittenhouse faces seven charges including attempted murder for the wounding of Gaige Grosskreutz (27), and homicide in relation to Joseph Rosenbaum’s fatal shootings.

Prosecutors will argue Rittenhouse (who claims he was in Kenosha for business protection) was searching for violence and responded with extreme force.

Defense will emphasize that Rittenhouse was afraid for his own life during each encounter. The video evidence clearly shows Rosenbaum charging towards Rittenhouse with a skateboard, Huber swinging at him and Grosskreutz holding a gun when he is shot.