WI: Kyle Rittenhouse Freed by a Jury of His Peers in Kenosha

On Friday, November 19, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Kyle Rittenhouse, 18, was found not guilty by a jury of 12 men and women.

The jury had deliberated for three and a half days. There were five charges and two sub-charges. The jury instructions ran to 34 pages. What the prosecution said about the law and what the judge said were contradictory.

In spite of enormous efforts by the dominant media to create a narrative of a white supremacist targeting black people for cold blooded killing, the overwhelming video evidence showed a young man working to protect the community and help people. When attacked by violent and mentally ill people, he defended himself from deadly harm. He showed admirable restraint; he immediately attempted to turn himself in to the authorities, and was prevented from doing so by the police. He then proceeded to the nearest open police station, near his home, and turned himself about 1 hour after the event.

A jury, enduring threats of violence, saw several hours of Kyle himself on the stand. 

Thomas Jefferson said: 

“I consider trial by jury as the only anchor ever yet imagined by man, by which a government can be held to the principles of its constitution.”

In spite of what appeared to be a politically motivated prosecution, which was willing to bend rules and Constitutional protections in its attempt to win, the jury reached a conclusion most close observers of the evidence had reached in the first two weeks after the event. 

Kyle Rittenhouse is a free man. It remains to be seen if the many media outlets and individuals who lied about him and defamed him prior to the trial will be held to account.

©2021 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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