Madison, Wisconsin (AP) — A prosecutor trying to convict Kyle Rittenhouse for murdering another of his group on the night he shot three men during a protest, his age and medical training. Working to portray him as an inexperienced teenager who misrepresented his armed civilians. Against police atrocities in Wisconsin last year.
Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger said in the first week of the Rittenhaus trial that several witnesses, including two veterans, seemed inexperienced teens in Illinois to carry guns. A drug that was certified when he was old enough and he was really just a lifeguard.
Phil Turner, a former federal prosecutor and lawyer in Chicago who wasn’t involved in the case, told the jury that Binger didn’t know what Rittenhaus was doing, and that they were defending himself. He said he was trying to show that he should not believe the claim.
“In terms of how he reacted, they are more likely to perceive (protest) as a younger, inexperienced and more threatening situation (than an older person). I want to show you, “Turner said. “A young man would think that this guy would hurt me, even though it wasn’t really true.”
Rittenhaus brought a semi-automatic rifle to protest in Kenosha in August 2020.Cities on the border between Wisconsin and Illinois A few nights of chaotic demos After a white police officer shot a black Jacob Blake who was resisting arrest during a domestic conflict. Rittenhaus said he was 17 at the time and went to Kenosha to protect downtown businesses from looting.
Just before midnight, after Rosenbaum chased him into the parking lot, he shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum. Bystander video Shows a crowd chasing the Rittenhouse down the street. Within seconds, an unidentified man tried to kick his head. Anthony Hoover hit him on a skateboard and Gaiji Grosskreutz charged him with a pistol. Rittenhaus kicked him, but missed Hoover, shot him to death, and fired at the man who injured Grosskreutz on his arm.
Prosecutor charged Rittenhouse with multiple countsBeing a minor in possession of firearms, including murder. Rittenhaus claimed he shot a man for self-defense. This meant that his lawyer reasonably believed that his life was at stake and had to convince the jury that the amount of power he used was reasonable. increase. Binger claims that Rittenhaus was an invader and overreacted to the situation.
Former U.S. soldier Ryan Balti, who worked in Iraq and Afghanistan, testified on Thursday that he had traveled to Kenosha on the night of a shooting armed with a semi-automatic rifle and pistol, where he met Rittenhaus.
Balti later told FBI agents that Rittenhaus seemed very interested in him and his military deployment. Rittenhaus said he was certified as an emergency medical technician at the age of 19, he said. He was actually a guard at a recreational facility in the nearby Pleasant Prairie between Kinosha and Antioch, Illinois, home of the Rittenhouse.
“He was like a young and impressive kid,” Balti said. “He seemed a bit under-equipped and inexperienced, which is one of the reasons we were with him.” Balch felt that the Rittenhouse was inadequate. Does not mention.
Balti said he was watching the Rittenhouse all night as he was a doctor and was walking around screaming that he could help the injured. Balch said with one protester who insulted Rittenhaus with blasphemous words, Rittenhaus shouted, “I love you too, wife.” Mr Balti said he told him not to respond because it would only make the crowd more hostile.
“That’s when I told him,’Hey, don’t say that,'” Balti testified. “If you feel like you’re making fun of them a bit, someone can make things worse. So you didn’t need it.”
Former Marine Jason Rakowski testified on Friday that he also traveled to Kenosha, equipped with semi-automatic rifles and knives, to protect the company.
He introduced himself to Rittenhaus and stated that he was an emergency medical technician. Rittenhouse did not reveal his age, but in Wisconsin he considers Rittenhouse to be at least 18 years old and must be 18 years old to obtain an EMT license because minors cannot carry firearms. Lackowski testified.
He went on to testify it Rosenbaum was acting “warlike” He tried to start a fight with Rakowski’s group and asked members of the group to shoot him. But he said he did not consider Rosenbaum to be a threat to him or anyone else.
Richie McGinniss, a videographer on the conservative website The Daily Caller, testified Thursday that he met Rittenhouse while recording a protest and asked him how old he was.
“I think the reaction was in line with’I’m an adult’,” McGinnis said. “I actually told the police the night I believed he was in his mid-twenties, but I think he said exactly he had a baby face.”
Rittenhouse lawyers have pushed back the proposal that Rittenhouse has overreacted to non-threat. They said that Lackowski and Rosenbaum met in groups and never faced Rosenbaum one-on-one like Rittenhouse. Defendant lawyer Corey Chirafisi asked Rakowski if he felt threatened if Rosenbaum charged him at full speed and tried to bring a gun, and Rakowski said “yes.” answered.
However, the Rittenhaus team did not disagree with the testimony that Rittenhaus lied about his age and his medical qualifications, and he appeared to be inexperienced.
Turner, a Chicago lawyer, said he might be happy to make the jury believe that Rittenhaus is basically just a kid.
“If I defended this case, I would be happy with it because it’s true. He’s young and inexperienced, and I’m going to kill him because he feels the situation is dangerous.” Mr Turner said. “His youth actually helps him. If it’s an older person, they think,” This guy knows better. ” “
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Minneapolis Associated Press correspondent Amy Fority contributed to this report.
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Find the full coverage of AP on the Kyle Rittenhouse trial at: https://apnews.com/hub/kyle-rittenhouse