![]() ![]() With his decision, Martin said, the judge is “definitely signaling something to these jurors” and appeared to be “leaning towards supporting the defense.”ĬNN chief legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said allowing use of “rioters” and “arsonists” to describe the dead men “should help Rittenhouse’s defense a great deal.” They deserve to be shot and even deserved to die.” Martin said “rioter” and “looter” were “loaded” and “pejorative” terms that suggested the victims “deserve what they got. And the fact that he didn’t know that they were involved in this activity makes … that evidence irrelevant.” “He didn’t have that information when he pulled the trigger and shot these three individuals, killing two. “Even if these individuals who were shot were involved in rioting and looting, the evidence, what we hear to date, is that didn’t know that,” she told CNN on Wednesday. Mark Hertzberg/Pool/APĬNN legal analyst Areva Martin called the judge’s decision “incomprehensible.” Judge Bruce Schroeder listens during the pretrial hearing of Kyle Rittenhouse on October 25. ‘Unnecessary and unfortunate’ start to ‘really important case’ The debate over labels and how they may inform the jury’s impression of those at the center or the trial gets to the heart of the defense’s argument that Rittenhouse opened fire that night to protect himself. The terms that I’m identifying here, such as ‘rioters,’ ‘looters,’ ‘arsonists,’ are as loaded, if not more loaded, than the term ‘victim.’” And I think ‘alleged victim’ is a cousin to it,” Schroeder said.īut Binger disagreed, telling the judge, “I think it’s the exact same issue. “The word ‘victim’ is a loaded, loaded word. ![]() “If I were to count the number of times that you’ve admonished me not to call someone a victim during a trial, it would be in the thousands,” Binger said. “I don’t think I’m inclined toward prior restraint,” Schroeder said.īut Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger argued the judge was setting up a “double standard” due to his rule on the use of referring to people as “victims” at trial. The conversation turned to whether defense attorneys would be allowed to refer to Huber, Rosenbaum and Grosskreutz as arsonists, rioters or looters due to their alleged behavior during the chaotic and fiery demonstrations. On Monday, Rittenhouse’s legal team and prosecutors attended a pretrial hearing to review outstanding issues before jury selection begins on November 1. Kenosha shooting suspect called a friend to say he 'killed somebody,' police say, and then shot two others (Adam Rogan/The Journal Times via AP) Adam Rogan/The Journal Times via AP 27, 2020 charged Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old from Illinois in the fatal shooting of two protesters and the wounding of a third in Kenosha, Wisconsin, during a night of unrest following the weekend police shooting of Jacob Blake. ![]() Kyle Rittenhouse, left, with backwards cap, walks along Sheridan Road in Kenosha, Wis., Tuesday, Aug. The debate over the use of terms in court could foreshadow contentious proceedings when the trial gets underway for the teen accused in the deadly shooting that unfolded during a summer of racial justice protests across the country. Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time, is also charged with possession of a dangerous weapon while under the age of 18, a misdemeanor, according to court records. Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum and felony attempted homicide for allegedly wounding Gaige Grosskreutz during protests that followed the police shooting of Jacob Blake in August 2020. Rittenhouse is charged with felony homicide related to the shooting and killing of Anthony M. Schroeder has had a longstanding rule of not allowing prosecutors to refer to people as “victims” at trial. “Let the evidence show what the evidence shows, that any or one of these people were engaged in arson, rioting or looting, then I’m not going to tell the defense they can’t call them that,” Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder said during the pretrial hearing. Rittenhouse was among armed civilians who said they were there to protect businesses after nights of arson and looting. The protesters were shot during a demonstration against the police shooting of a Black man. The men shot by Kyle Rittenhouse in August 2020 can potentially be referred to at his trial as “rioters” or “looters,” a Wisconsin judge said Monday while reiterating his long-held view that attorneys should not use the word “victim.”ĭefense lawyers maintain the young man acted in self-defense when he fatally shot two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
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