Nathan Layne

KENOSHA WIS. (Reuters). – On Tuesday, the prosecution and defense will present opening arguments at the trial of a U.S. teen accused of fatally shooting protesters from Wisconsin last year. It is the largest-known civilian self-defense case for nearly a decade.

Kyle Rittenhouse (age 18) has been charged with intentional and reckless homicides for the murder of two people and wounding another person with an AR-15 style rifle during chaotic protests held in Kenosha, Aug. 25, 2020. Rittenhouse pleaded not guilty to the charges and said he acted in self defense.

Jacob Blake was shot by a White police officer. This happened three months after George Floyd (another Black man) had been killed in Minneapolis. The shooting sparked protests across the country over racism and police brutality.

Rittenhouse is a hero for some conservatives, who believe in the right to unrestricted gun ownership and view the shootings during Kenosha’s chaotic situation as justified. However, many left-leaning politicians have called him a vigilante murderer.

Kenosha County Assistant State Attorney Thomas Binger will lead the prosecution. They are expected to say that Rittenhouse sought a way to fire his weapon, which is what led to the deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber. Also in the shooting of Gaige Großkreutz (27) who survived.

According to previous court filings regarding the case, it is likely that they will claim the three men he shot were trying disarm him.

In a court filing, Binger stated that the defendant had shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum in the middle of the crowd and fled on foot. This created a dangerous active shooter situation. He was followed by many people, who attempted to stop him. They had no clue about his plans or whether he’d kill again.

Experts in legal matters say that the prosecution has a difficult task convincing jurors Rittenhouse didn’t fear for his safety. Video evidence showed Rittenhouse being pursued by three men, one of whom was armed with a gun and two others reaching for Rittenhouse’s weapon.

Wisconsin law says that only people may use deadly force when they are “reasonably” convinced it is necessary to protect someone else from causing bodily injury or death.

A 20 person jury will decide what is reasonable after lawyers and the judge checked the candidates for biases. There were many questions about the jurors’ opinions on protests and how they have dealt with guns.

This trial will be the largest U.S. test for civilian self-defense rights since George Zimmerman, an unarmed Black teenager, was acquitted last year in Trayvon Martin’s fatal shooting.

Rittenhouse’s lawyers may try to paint the men Rittenhouse shot as lawless actors, giving Rittenhouse reason to be concerned about his safety. The expected testimony of Richard McGinnis, a journalist who claimed Rosenbaum attempted to grab Rittenhouse’s barrel before Rittenhouse shot him, may be highlighted.

Also, they will stress audio and visual evidence that protestors shout things like “Get my ass!” Rittenhouse fell on the floor, before Huber shot him. Huber was swinging a skateboard at Rittenhouse, while Grosskreutz held a gun.