Kyle Rittenhouse found not guilty on all charges in deadly shootings

Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6 Follow us: Facebook: http://www.pbs.org/newshour Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/newshour Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/newshour Subscribe: PBS NewsHour podcasts: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/podcasts Newsletters: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/subscribe

During the the Kyle Rittenhouse murder trial, the defense team claimed that the iPad’s pinch-to-zoom function on a video could alter or modify footage related to the case. Defense attorney Mark Richards said iPads use “artificial intelligence, or their logarithms, to create what they believe is happening. So this isn’t actually enhanced video. This is Apple’s iPad programming what it thinks is there, not what necessarily is there.” Prosecutor Thomas Binger disputed this, arguing that on devices, the pinch-to-zoom function allows an image to be scaled, not change the imagery itself. And is a basic feature on many smartphones. Judge Bruce Schroeder heard the defense’s argument, telling prosecutors they had the burden of proof to find an expert to explain how the function worked, whether the pinch-to-zoom function could distort what was depicted, and whether it was reliable technology to use in court. Video has been a point of contention throughout the trial. While the shooting itself was filmed from multiple angles, lawyers have argued about the video quality, enhancements and accuracy. On Aug. 25, 2020, Rittenhouse, then 17, went to Kenosha, Wisconsin, armed with an AR-style semi-automatic weapon. Rittenhouse, who lived in nearby Antioch, Illinois, and his lawyers have argued that he was at the demonstrations against racial injustice in the city to protect property from protesters. There had been days of unrest in Kenosha after a white officer shot Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who was paralyzed after the shooting. Rittenhouse faces five felony charges. If convicted of the most serious charge -- first-degree intentional homicide -- he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Rittenhouse has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6 Follow us: Facebook: http://www.pbs.org/newshour Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/newshour Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/newshour Subscribe: PBS NewsHour podcasts: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/podcasts Newsletters: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/subscribe

Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6 Follow us: Facebook: http://www.pbs.org/newshour Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/newshour Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/newshour Subscribe: PBS NewsHour podcasts: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/podcasts Newsletters: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/subscribe

Kyle Rittenhouse took the stand Wednesday to testify in the trial that charges him with killing two men and wounding a third during a protest last year in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse went to Kenosha in August 2020 during the protests that followed the police shooting of Jacob Blake with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle and a medical kit in what he has said was an effort to safeguard property damaged during the demonstrations. Rittenhouse has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, claiming self-defense. His appearance follows the prosecution resting their case after five and a half days of testimony that tried to portray Rittenhouse as the aggressor on the night of the shootings. Rittenhouse’s decision to testify came despite several legal experts saying that an underwhelming prosecution case had made it less likely he would need to do so. Rittenhouse, now 18, could get life in prison if convicted of the most serious charges against him. Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6 Follow us: Facebook: http://www.pbs.org/newshour Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/newshour Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/newshour Subscribe: PBS NewsHour podcasts: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/podcasts Newsletters: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/subscribe

In a tense exchange in the courtroom during the murder trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder admonished lead prosecutor Thomas Binger for his line of questioning of the defendant. Binger had attempted to address a statement Rittenhouse had made several days prior to his shooting of three people during the Kenosha protests about it being appropriate to use deadly force to protect property. The judge had previously said during pre-trial proceedings that the comments couldn’t be raised though he was leaving the door open for revisiting that early ruling. When Binger told the judge that he left the door open for reconsideration, Schroeder shouted back, “For me! Not for you!” Binger had also questioned Rittenhouse about his refusal to speak in his own defense after his arrest until taking the stand at his trial. “I was astonished when you began your examination by commenting on the defendant’s post-arrest silence,” Schroeder told Binger, raising his voice. “That’s basic law. It’s been basic law in this country for 40 years, 50 years. I have no idea why you would do something like that.” Rittenhouse’s attorneys asked the judge to consider a mistrial with prejudice--which would prevent prosecutors from re-trying the case. Schroeder said he would consider their motion later. On Aug. 25, 2020, Rittenhouse, then 17, went to Kenosha, Wisconsin, armed with an AR-style semi-automatic weapon. Rittenhouse, who lived in nearby Antioch, Illinois, and his lawyers have argued that he was at the demonstrations against racial injustice in the city to protect property from protesters. There had been days of unrest in Kenosha after a white officer shot Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who was paralyzed after the shooting. Rittenhouse faces five felony charges. If convicted of the most serious charge -- first-degree intentional homicide -- he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Rittenhouse has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6 Follow us: Facebook: http://www.pbs.org/newshour Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/newshour Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/newshour Subscribe: PBS NewsHour podcasts: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/podcasts Newsletters: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/subscribe

Gaige Grosskreutz, the third man shot by Kyle Rittenhouse and only survivor, testified that he attempted to surrender to the then 17-year-old who then “reracked” his AR-style semi-automatic weapon in preparation to fire again. “I inferred that the defendant wasn’t accepting my surrender,” Grosskreutz told the court. Grosskreutz, a volunteer medic and protester armed with a pistol, testified the sight of Rittenhouse reracking his rifle forced him to close the distance between himself and Rittenhouse before he could be shot. Rittenhouse’s lawyers have argued that during his encounter with their client, Grosskreutz was holding a pistol in his hand and was pointing it when Rittenhouse fired upon the volunteer paramedic. On Aug. 25, 2020, Rittenhouse, then 17, went to Kenosha, Wisconsin, armed with an AR-style semi-automatic weapon. Rittenhouse, who lived in nearby Antioch, Illinois, and his lawyers have argued that he was at the demonstrations against racial injustice in the city to protect property from protesters. There had been days of unrest in Kenosha after a white officer shot Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who was paralyzed after the shooting. Rittenhouse faces five felony charges. If convicted of the most serious charge -- first-degree intentional homicide -- he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Rittenhouse has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6 Follow us: Facebook: http://www.pbs.org/newshour Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/newshour Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/newshour Subscribe: PBS NewsHour podcasts: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/podcasts Newsletters: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/subscribe

The judge in the Kyle Rittenhouse murder trial dismissed one charge -- possession of a dangerous weapon by a minor -- against the defendant. Defense attorneys renewed a request to dismiss the possession charge, arguing that a portion of Wisconsin law limited the charge to short-barreled shotgun or rifles. Judge Bruce Schroeder dismissed the charge after Assistant District Attorney James Kraus acknowledged that Rittenhouse’s rifle wasn’t a short-barreled weapon. But Kraus argued that reading the law in question to allow minors to carry any weapon except a short-barrelled rifle or short-barrelled shotgun would basically negate its prohibition on minors carrying weapons. “I believe that this … essentially swallows the entire statue,” Kraus said. Schroeder said that prosecutors could have turned to a state appeals court to clarify the statute before acknowledging that he himself had not issued a ruling on the statue that would have resulted in prosecutors going to the appeals court. “I think it ought to have been mighty clear that I had big problems with this statute,” Schroeder said. “I made no bones about that from the beginning. And there always was access to the court of appeals all along here. Well, I guess that’s not fair for me to say because I was sitting on it. So shame on me.” On Aug. 25, 2020, Rittenhouse, then 17, went to Kenosha, Wisconsin, armed with an AR-style semi-automatic weapon. Rittenhouse, who lived in nearby Antioch, Illinois, and his lawyers have argued that he was at the demonstrations against racial injustice in the city to protect property from protesters. There had been days of unrest in Kenosha after a white officer shot Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who was paralyzed after the shooting. Rittenhouse faces five felony charges. If convicted of the most serious charge -- first-degree intentional homicide -- he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Rittenhouse has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6 Follow us: Facebook: http://www.pbs.org/newshour Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/newshour Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/newshour Subscribe: PBS NewsHour podcasts: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/podcasts Newsletters: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/subscribe