Kyle Rittenhouse Takes Stand, Claims He Wasn't Looking for Trouble on Night He Killed 2 People
The defendant in one of the most polarizing cases in recent memory has been called to the stand to defend himself against charges from shooting and killing two people.
It was long questioned if Kyle Rittenhouse, the now 18-year-old accused of intentionally killing two people during protests against police brutality in the summer of 2020, would take the stand. On Wednesday morning, following the quick questioning of two other witnesses, Mark Richards, Rittenhouse's lead attorney, called him to the stand.
Wearing a dark blue suit, the 18-year-old answered a series of routine questions from the judge about how his testimony wasn’t coerced. He started his testimony by saying he didn’t go to Kenosha, Wisconsin “looking for trouble.” (Rittenhouse had travelled roughly 20 miles from nearby Illinois) He said that he decided to go to the town because he saw social media videos of violent moments of the protests.
Rittenhouse told the jury that prior to the fateful moment where he shot and killed Rosenbaum, the man threatened to kill him twice.
“He screamed ‘if I catch any of you fuckers alone, I’m going to fucking kill you,’” said Rittenhouse. “The second time he said ‘I’m going to cut your fucking hearts out and kill you N-words.’”
The trial is midway through its second week and the prosecution rested their case yesterday. Rittenhouse is accused of intentionally killing Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, and wounding Gaige Grosskreutz, during a night of chaotic unrest in August 2020 in Kenosha two days after a cop shot and partially paralyzed a Black man there.
Rittenhouse’s attorneys are arguing that he shot the men in self-defense after traveling to the protests to supposedly protect a car dealership. He has been charged with one count of first-degree reckless homicide, one count of first-degree intentional homicide, and one count of first-degree attempted intentional homicide, along with several lesser charges.
This story will be updated.
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via https://www.DMT.NEWS
Mack Lamoureux, Khareem Sudlow
