Kyle Rittenhouse, the 18-year-old man accused of murdering two people and wounding a third during racial protests in Kenosha (Wisconsin, United States) has been found not guilty.
The jury has found that Rittenhouse acted in self defense, an argument made by the defendant during the trial. The events occurred on August 25, 2020 after a police officer shot Jacob Blake, who was left paraplegic, in the back one night that Rittenhouse remembered through tears.
This trial has further divided American society. Finally, after three and a half days of deliberation, the jury has cleared Rittenhouse of the five counts he has faced, including first degree murder and attempted first degree murder.
The Prosecutor’s Office has tried to show that Rittenhouse’s actions constituted a homicide and has characterized the young man as a “teenage vigilante“who traveled from Illinois to Kenosha with an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle to join other people.
Rittenhouse opened fire amid clashes between groups of armed civilians and protesters from the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement. The then president, Donald Trump, defendió a Rittenhouse, a sympathizer of the now ex-president, and refused to meet with Blake’s family.
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
