By Nathan Layne
KENOSHA, Wis. (Reuters) – Jurors in the Wisconsin murder trial of Kyle Rittenhouse will resume deliberations for a fourth day on Friday on whether to convict or acquit the teenager, who killed two men and wounded a third in racial justice protests last year.
Rittenhouse, 18, is charged with homicide in the deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and attempted homicide in the wounding of Gaige Grosskreutz, 28, during chaotic protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Aug. 25, 2020.
There were no notes from the jury on Thursday to suggest what evidence they are focusing on in their deliberations. On Wednesday the jury had asked to re-watch a series of videos of the shootings, including drone footage of Rittenhouse firing four times at Rosenbaum as he charges at the teen.
Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time of the shootings, has pleaded not guilty and testified last week that he fired his semi-automatic rifle in self defense. If convicted on the most serious charge, he could be sentenced to life in prison.
The judge has allowed the jury to proceed without ruling on two mistrial motions from Rittenhouse’s lawyers. The latest mistrial request was made in court on Wednesday, with defense counsel citing a discrepancy in the version of the drone video shown by prosecutors to the jury and the one initially given to the defense before the evidence was closed in the case.
The shootings took place in Kenosha during protests – marred by arson, rioting and looting – that followed the police shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake, who was left paralyzed from the waist down.
Views on the trial have largely split along ideological lines, with Rittenhouse considered a hero by some conservatives who favor expansive gun rights and seen by many on the political left as a symbol of American gun culture run amok.
(reporting by Nathan Layne; editing by Grant McCool)
