The trial of Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse is headed toward closing arguments and jury deliberation, beginning next week.
The judge ruled Friday that the jury who will decide his fate will be allowed by him to consider other lesser charges than those originally brought against him. This was after much deliberation from opposing counsel.
Sometimes, arguments about jury instructions could be contentious. After attorneys had argued about which photo was shown, Judge Bruce Schroeder seemed to lose his temper. “You’re asking me to give an instruction. I want to see the best picture!”He said.
This week’s scrutiny of Rittenhouse’s conduct has punctuated the highly publicized case against Rittenhouse.
Rittenhouse, 18, has said that he feared for his life and acted in self-defense when he shot three men during a protest last year in Kenosha, Wisconsin, over the killing of a Black man. Rittenhouse’s gunfire resulted in the deaths of two people and wounding another. Prosecutors claim Rittenhouse, a resident of Illinois, crossed state lines to participate in the demonstrations. He was armed with a semiautomatic gun that he wasn’t legally permitted to own at 17.
Judge Schroeder asked Thursday’s courtroom whether there were veterans. The judge noted that John Black was the next witness for defense and encouraged all present to continue to speak up. “give a round of applause to the people who have served our country.”
Just before lunch, the judge made an antisemitic statement that some thought was anti-Asian. “I hope the Asian food isn’t coming, isn’t on one of those boats from Long Beach Harbor,”The court broke for midday lunch. This was an apparent reference the supply-chain issues with loading ships at a Los Angeles County port.
“A thinly veiled anti-Asian comment,”Read one post on social media.
John C. Yang, executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice wrote this tweet. “Maybe I’m supposed to applaud him for not saying ‘Oriental food.'”
