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U.S. prosecutors want jury to consider lower charges in Rittenhouse murder trial

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© Reuters. Kyle Rittenhouse appears before his trial at Kenosha County Courthouse, Wisconsin, USA, on November 11, 2021. Via Mark Hertzberg / Pool REUTERS

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Author: Nathan Layne

KENOSHA, Wisconsin (Reuters) – Prosecutors in the murder trial of Kyle Rittenhouse said the jury would seek approval to look into the lesser charges, with the U.S. teenager and his lawyers firmly arguing in his self-defense days.

Rittenhouse, 18, Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and Gaige Grosskreutz, 27, are charged with wounding in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on August 25, 2020, in chaotic racial justice demonstrations following a police shooting. and the wound of a black man. He pleaded not guilty.

Lawyers in Rittenhouse left the case after calling the last witness, a video reporter said one of the men who was shot had posed a threat to the 17-year-old at the time of the shooting.

Kenosha County Judge Bruce Schroeder said the final arguments for the trial that polarized America would begin on Monday.

It is likely that the arguments highlight how Rittenhouse has become a divisive figure. It is considered heroic by some conservatives who advocate broad arms rights and justify the shootings amid Kenosha chaos. Many on the left see Rittenhouse as a persecutor and a symbol of an American arms culture that is out of control.

County Assistant Prosecutor James Kraus Kenosha said he intended to ask the court to consider lower charges in the Huber and Grosskreutz shootings, which would reduce the burden of proof for the conviction.

“I’m not surprised that the state has asked for minimal instructions,” said Michael Hart, a Milwaukee criminal defense attorney. “They acknowledge that their case had some gaps and are trying to save as many convictions as they can.”

Rittenhouse testified in his defense https://www.reuters.com/world/us/rittenhouse-called-stand-testify-own-defense-us-murder-trial-2021-11-10 on Wednesday, saying he fired his AR -15 to protect himself after being attacked with a style rifle.

SELF-DEFENSE ARGUMENT

The defense wanted to argue its self-defense by calling the stand Drew Hernandez, then an independent journalist in Kenosha, to record the protests.

Hernandez testified that he had seen Rittenhouse earlier in the night to calm a potential clash. Rittenhouse’s lawyers have argued that he was not looking for trouble that night.

“It’s really successful because the incidents then disperse,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez, who currently works for the conservative media outlet Real America’s Voice, was close enough to record the Rosenbaum shooting. Rosenbaum said he saw her “charging” at Rittenhouse and then assaulting the teenager.

Hernandez had several tense conversations with Kenosha County Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Binger, who stated in his testimony that he referred to Rittenhouse as “Kyle” and sent a tweet to help a “armed citizen” who was shot to a man — later identified. Rosenbaum – a few minutes after the shooting.

Earlier, Binger was again involved with the judge, accusing him of injustice. On Wednesday, the judge convicted Binger of denouncing the teenager’s decision to remain silent because it was his right, and of introducing unacceptable evidence.

Tensions were rekindled on Thursday when Binger argued against the defense attempt to present an updated expert report on the use of force by John Black, who took the witness stand to study the video of the shootings. Binger said there was evidence that the report ruled that the judge could no longer accept it.

“Yesterday I was the target of your anger for rejecting your orders. Today the defense is rejecting your order,” Binger said, adding that “basic correctness” was the issue at stake. “If they ask me to comply with court orders, I ask them to uphold that defense.”

Schroeder responded, “Yesterday I was talking about the U.S. Constitution,” referring to Rittenhouse’s right to remain silent. “That’s not what we’re talking about here today.”

Rittenhouse sat down next to his lawyers on Thursday in a blue jacket, a burgundy shirt and a yellow-blue tie.



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