Kyle Rittenhouse acquitted: Protests erupt from New York to California: LIVE UPDATES
Demonstrators took to the streets from coast to coast after a jury found Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty on all five counts.
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Kyle Rittenhouse is sworn in to testify during his trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse earlier this month in Kenosha, Wisconsin. (Getty Images)
When a Wisconsin jury acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse of murder charges last week, that development hampered the progress of science, a Virginia university's chemistry department suggested in a series of online posts that at least one critic is deriding as inappropriate "politicized rhetoric.
"The communications on James Madison University's official Instagram account also briefly included a so-called "student takeover" video in which a JMU student lamented the "murdering" of "two beautiful Black lives" – even though the jury agreed that Rittenhouse acted in self-defense and the two men he fatally shot were both White.
"Reminder: it is hard to focus on science if you are worried you might be legally shot or run over at a protest," the JMU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry tweeted on Saturday, the day after Rittenhouse's acquittal. The department continued, referencing various shootings of Black men that the Black Lives Matter movement has turned into rallying cries.
JMU's official Instagram account also shared a video featuring student Deaquan Nichols. In the video, Nichols addresses "The verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse case."
"We scream ‘Black Lives Matter’ but it doesn't matter enough for these people who are in power – the jury, the judge, anybody – to charge this man with murdering and taking away two beautiful Black lives," Nichols says.
Tina Ramirez, founder of the religious freedom nonprofit Hardwired Global and a Republican candidate for Congress in Virginia's 7th Congressional District, shared the Nichols video on Twitter – and accused the university of "pushing political propaganda."
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In a report for "Face the Nation," reporter Mark Strassman falsely claimed that Kyle Rittenhouse crossed state lines "armed for battle."
On Sunday, the CBS program featured a news package on the recent jury ruling over 18-year-old Rittenhouse. In August 2020, the then-17-year-old Rittenhouse shot three men attempting to attack him during the Kenosha riots in Wisconsin. The shots later killed two of his attackers, Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, while wounding a third, Gaige Grosskreutz.
Rittenhouse then faced several charges, including first-degree intentional homicide. His attorneys claimed he had fired the weapon in self-defense.
Strassman reported on the events leading up to the riots, including the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Regarding Rittenhouse, Strassman described him as having been "drove in from Illinois armed for battle."
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Kyle Rittenhouse's mother Wendy Rittenhouse told Fox News on Sunday that there's no "winning or losing" in the wake of her son's acquittal in the murder trial that gripped the nation for the past two weeks.
Wendy's 18-year-old son was on trial for first-degree intentional homicide, two counts of first-degree intentional homicide and two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment after shooting and killing two men and wounding another during riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin in August 2020 following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
His critics largely convicted him as a murderer, while the defendant and his legal team argued Kyle had been acting in self-defense. The jury found him not guilty on all charges Friday.
"It's not about winning or losing," Wendy told Fox News correspondent Alexis McAdams. "There were two people that did pass away and families have grieved."
"He does have remorse," she said of her son, later adding, "He would have never went down there if this would have ever happened again. He would never."
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Kyle Rittenhouse told Tucker Carlson in an exclusive interview that he "had to do it" and was attacked.
"I tell everybody there what happened, I said 'I had to do it, I was just attacked, I was dizzy, I was vomiting, I couldn't breathe,'" Rittenhouse said.
Watch the full interview on Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern time on "Tucker Carlson Tonight."
The mainstream media is under fire for alleged false reporting throughout the Kyle Rittenhouse murder trial and defense lawyer Mark Richards confirmed with NewsNation Now that coverage from some outlets was just plain wrong.
"Much of the coverage at the beginning was wrong," he told "Banfield" host Ashleigh Banfield, who previously worked for CNN, Sunday. "The trial proved that."
Richards mentioned outlets like CNN and MSNBC who blatantly spread misinformation, such as MSNBC host Joe Scarborough detailing that Rittenhouse shot his firearm 60 times.
Another false claim fueled by the media was that Rittenhouse's firearm possession was illegal, while multiple media outlets also inaccurately reported that Rittenhouse illegally crossed state lines with his rifle. In reality, the AR-15 he used during the riot was already at a friend's house in Kenosha.
"That’s wrong," he said. "When I hear some guest host on Joy Reid say my client drove four hours to go to a riot with his AR, that’s wrong. It’s false."
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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Sunday that there’s "a lot to be upset about" following the not-guilty verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial.
Buttigieg was asked by NBC News anchor Chuck Todd to weigh in on the case, which concluded Friday after a jury acquitted Rittenhouse in the fatal shooting of two men during a riot last year in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
"Look, there’s a lot of pain in this country, and that pain and that frustration was aroused by the entire case, including the verdict," Buttigieg said. "And for a lot of us, there’s just a lot to be upset about, a lot to be concerned about, but we’ll move forward as a country.
"The president continues to believe and this administration continues to believe in America and we’ve got to continue working to bring Americans together," he said.
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The show spent much of its political punch Saturday focused on Kyle Rittenhouse's acquittal.
"Hopefully he got all of that shooting out of his system before he becomes a cop," Weekend Update co-anchor Michael Che joked. Che also suggested to protesters who took to the streets Friday to decry the verdict: "Maybe don’t tempt him" since he "just got off on shooting protesters."
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Trevor Bauer, the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher accused of sexual assault, used the Kyle Rittenhouse acquittal to take a shot at "the media."
"I guess it's important to know all the facts before jumping to conclusions, huh? Apparently not everything written in the media is true," Bauer tweeted.
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Liberal MSNBC host Tiffany Cross blasted Republican members of Congress as "White supremacists" on Saturday, one day after a Wisconsin jury acquitted Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse.
Cross, host of "The Cross Connection," specifically took aim at U.S. Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Paul Gosar of Arizona, Mediaite.com reported. Her comments came during a conversation with The Nation journalist Elie Mystal, who was also critical of the GOP.
During the conversation, Cross referred to 18-year-old Rittenhouse as "this little murderous White supremacist," even though the jury agreed Rittenhouse acted in self-defense last year when he shot three people, killing two, and that all three people he shot, like Rittenhouse, were White.
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Black Lives Matter organized a protest in Chicago that attracted around 1,000 marchers Saturday afternoon.
Holding signs that said statements like: “STOP WHITE SUPREMACY” and “WE’RE HITTING THE STREETS TO PROTEST THIS RACIST INJUSTICE SYSTEM" the protesters spoke out against Kyle Rittenhouse's acquittal.
“While I am not surprised by yesterday’s verdict, I am tired. I am disappointed. I am enraged. … I have lost every ounce of faith in this justice system,” Tanya Watkins, executive director of Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation, told protesters before the march.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A protester holds a sign reading "If Kyle Rittenhouse had been Black... RIP" during a "Justice for Rittenhouse Victims-Abolish White Supremacy" protest outside the police precinct center in Minneapolis on November 20, 2021.
Hundreds of marchers demonstrated in downtown Minneapolis Saturday afternoon against Rittenhouse's acquittal, at times blocking intersections and traffic, FOX 9 in Minneapolis reported.
"It's not self-defense if you carry a rifle, a loaded weapon, to a protest that's not even in your community," one protester told the station.
No vandalism or arrests were reported.
George Floyd was killed in the city by then-Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin during an arrest on May 25, 2020. Chauvin was convicted of his murder earlier this year.
'Justice with Judge Jeanine' host reacts to Kyle Rittenhouse's acquittal in opening monologue
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr has called a Wisconsin jury's decision to acquit Kyle Rittenhouse "really scary and concerning."
Rittenhouse, 18, faced a mandatory life sentence if convicted of first-degree intentional homicide in the 2020 Kenosha shootings that left two people dead and another severely injured.
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Wisconsin Republican Bryan Steil reacts to demonstrations following the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse on 'Fox Report'
Fox News Digital
A source with the Chicago Police Department on the ground told Fox News Digital that last night around 6:30 pm the department mobilized 323 vehicles to be on standby for deployment if needed.
The directive included, 75 vehicles from Chicago Department or Transportation, 127 vehicles from Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation, and121 vehicles with Chicago department of Water Management.
Several Chicago businesses near Michigan Avenue, including Prada and Rolex, were boarded up in anticipation of protests turning violent.
Fox News' Jeff Paul has the latest as Rittenhouse acquittal prompts protests across U.S.
Fox News host Jesse Watters accused the media of convicting Kyle Rittenhouse before the verdict was reached on Saturday's "Watters' World," adding that the "jury bucked the mob" and they "listened to the testimony."
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Trevor Bauer, the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher accused of sexual assault, used the Kyle Rittenhouse acquittal to take a shot at "the media."
"I guess it's important to know all the facts before jumping to conclusions, huh? Apparently not everything written in the media is true," Bauer tweeted.
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The Milwaukee Bucks led the sports world last year when they refused to play a game in protest of the police-involved shooting of Jacob Blake, and some Bucks reacted Friday to the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict.
Jurors in Kenosha, Wisconsin, found Rittenhouse not guilty on all counts, capping an intense trial that followed the deadly unrest in that city last summer. Rittenhouse, 18, would have faced a mandatory life sentence if found guilty and convicted of first-degree intentional homicide.
Rittenhouse shot and killed two men and wounded a third during the protests following the Blake shooting. The Bucks played an instrumental part in organizing a protest. Their demonstrations led to more across the entire sports spectrum. On Friday, Bucks forward Khris Middleton and coach Mike Budenholzer were among those from the organization who spoke out.
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"I’m trying to take a beat to digest the Rittenhouse verdict," Shriver tweeted Saturday. "My son just asked me how it’s possible that he didn’t get charged for anything. How is that possible? I don’t have an answer for him."
"The idea that someone could be out with a semi-automatic weapon, kill people, and walk is stunning," Shriver added. "I look forward to hearing from the jury. This is a moment for them to explain how they came to their decision."
In the aftermath of the Rittenhouse verdict, figures on both sides of the case are threatening new filings and investigations.
It seems likely that the case will move into a new stage of litigation, particularly civil litigation. However, advocates on both sides may be overstating the basis for a Rittenhouse 2.0. These lawsuits can come with risks and considerable costs. That is why Voltaire once lamented "I was never ruined but twice: once when I lost a lawsuit, and once when I won one."
Here’s a look at how things could go:
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Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., shared a video to her social media Friday night that claimed there is an "entirely different set of rules for White people" following the "f------ up" Kyle Rittenhouse acquittal.
"In case you need a reminder," the "Squad" progressive wrote in a tweet, attaching a clip from NBC late-night talk show host Amber Ruffin, who is Black.
In the video echoed by Omar, Ruffin said, "It's not okay for a man to grab a rifle, travel across state lines, and shoot three people and then walk free."
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Protester in Kenosha after the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict was announced Friday (Source: Fox News)
Protests erupted in major cities across the U.S. on Friday evening into early Saturday morning after a Kenosha, Wisconsin, court acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse of all charges against him.
A 12-person jury on Friday afternoon found Rittenhouse not guilty on five charges, including first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree reckless homicide after he shot three people during riots that took place in Kenosha in August 2020, following the police shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake.
The verdict has sparked debate over gun laws, self-defense and criminal justice as it relates to race.
Read more on Fox News Digital here.
Protests against the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict will continue from Friday into the weekend, according to local social media postings.
Demonstrations are scheduled in cities across the country, including Baltimore; Pittsburgh; Honolulu; San Jose, California; New Orleans; as well as in Winsconsin towns including Oshkosh and Traverse City, Facebook events show.
"Kyle Rittenhouse is walking off scot-free after murdering two BLM protesters," a description for a protest in New Orleans scheduled for Sunday reads. "We are NOT going to stand by and let this happen! Meanwhile, millions of Black and brown people go to prison for petty crimes or nothing at all. The whole damn system is guilty as hell."
Rioters smashed a Portland print shop's windows. (Credit: Portland Police Bureau)
Portland police made one arrest and issued five citations and 17 warnings Friday evening during a protest that escalated into a riot following Kyle Rittenhouse's acquittal.
"The destructive crowd has dissipated and officers are returning to their precincts to resume their duties," the Portland Police Bureau's said in a Saturday morning tweet. "At least one arrest has been made."
Rioters smashed the window of a city print shop, the near window of a police vehicle and vandalized the Bureau's precinct downtown.
Six suspects were arrested in San Francisco on Friday night, accused of leaving a Louis Vuitton store in the city’s Union Square shopping district "emptied out," according to a report.
Other high-end retailers, including Fendi and Yves Saint Laurent, also were struck, FOX 2 of the Bay Area reported.
Police responded to the area around 8:10 p.m. on reports of looting and vandalism, the station reported.
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Graffiti on the front of Central Precinct
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Police in Portland, Oregon, declared a riot in the downtown area Friday night after a protest following the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict became violent and destructive near the Multnomah County Justice Center, authorities said.
Rioters were throwing objects at officers, smashing windows and damaging doors of city facilities, including the justice center's front gate, FOX 12 of Oregon reported.
"Due to violent, destructive behavior by a significant part of the crowd, the gathering in downtown Portland is a RIOT. All participants are instructed to proceed away to the WEST," the Portland Police Bureau wrote on Twitter.
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Looters targeted a Neiman Marcus on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago and a GampStop on the Southside Friday night as protesters decried Kyle Rittenhouse's acquittal, according to FOX 32 in Chicago.
Ezra Serran holds a sign during a demonstration Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, in Oakland, Calif., following the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha, Wis.
Oakland, California, protester Ezra Serran held up a sign calling the two men Kyle Rittenhouse killed last year "heroes" after the teen was acquitted in Kenosha, Wisconsin, earlier Friday. Other protesters have been seen holding the same sign.
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After Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted Friday of all charges in the shootings of three protesters, two fatally, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last year, Chicago's mayor urged people to protest peacefully as demonstrations started up in that city and elsewhere in the U.S.
Kenosha is about 66 miles north of Chicago, along the western shore of Lake Michigan.
"Under our constitutional system, we must respect the jury’s decision," Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement after the verdict, according to FOX 32 in Chicago.
But she asserted that Rittenhouse’s conduct in August 2020 was "reckless, dangerous, and showed an utter disregard for human life."
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Looters broke into and emptied a Louis Vuitton store in San Francisco's Union Square, videos posted on social media showed Friday night as people protested Kyle Rittenhouse's acquittal.
One of the many Kenosha storefronts that have been boarded up for months and decorated with positive messages.
"I would have never thought Kenosha would be known around the entire globe because of something like this," Taylor James Oliver, a local photographer and a friend of Anthony Huber, told Fox News.
A Kenosha protester holds up a sign outside of the courthouse that says "No justice" following Kyle Rittenhouse's acquittal.
Kyle Rittenhouse, the teenager at the center of a high-profile murder trial, will appear on "Tucker Carlson Tonight" for his first interview following his acquittal.
Rittenhouse, who a jury found not guilty on all five charges, will be joining Fox News' Tucker Carlson for an exclusive sitdown airing November 22nd at 8 PM/ET.
Rittenhouse will also be appearing in a "Tucker Carlson Originals" documentary on Fox Nation set to premiere in December.
The documentary will include additional portions of the interview as well as exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Rittenhouse and his defense team.
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Former President Donald Trump released a statement on Friday night congratulating Kyle Rittenhouse, following the verdict which found Rittenhouse not guilty on all charges.
"Congratulations to Kyle Rittenhouse for being found INNOCENT of all charges. It’s called being found NOT GUILTY—And by the way, if that’s not self defense, nothing is!," Trump said
Colin Kaepernick responded to the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict in a tweet on Friday, stating that "this only further validates the need to abolish our current system."
The former NFL player also said that the not guilty verdict validates "the terroristic acts of a white supremacist."
"We just witnessed a system built on white supremacy validate the terroristic acts of a white supremacist," Kaepernick tweeted.
The chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee responded to the Kyle Rittenhouse "not guilty" verdict with a statement that included significant factual errors, and a senior adviser to the committee tweeted "no justice, no peace." Rittenhouse was acquitted on all charges stemming from the fatal shooting of two men during the violent riots in Kenosha, Wisc. last summer in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
"It’s disgusting and disturbing that someone was able to carry a loaded assault rifle into a protest against the unjust killing of Jacob Blake, an unarmed Black man, and take the lives of two people and injure another - and face absolutely no consequences," DCCC chairman Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney said in a statement Friday.
Jacob Blake was paralyzed by the shooting, not killed, and was in fact armed with a knife. The police officer who responded to the domestic disturbance call that led to Blake's shooting was not charged either by the state or the federal government after investigations.
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Kyle Rittenhouse faces an uncertain future after being acquitted of all five charges against him — which included first-degree intentional homicide — in a Kenosha, Wisconsin, courthouse on Friday.
The 18-year-old's attorneys argued during his trial that the then-17-year-old was acting in self-defense when he fatally shot Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, as well as Gaige Grosskreutz, 27, in the August 2020 riots in Kenosha following the police shooting of 29-year-old Black man, Jacob Blake.
"Now he can be free — he can be just a young man now," Rittenhouse family spokesperson David Hancock told Fox News. "So, I think it’s just going to spend time with his family, and they are just ecstatic that it came down this way. Nobody is spiking the football on this."
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Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger released a statement Friday stating while he is "disappointed with the verdict, it must be respected."
Binger also called for community members to express their feelings in a "civil and peaceful manner."
"The jury, representing our community, has rendered its verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse case. While we are disappointed with the verdict, it must be respected. We are grateful to the members of the jury for their diligent and thoughtful deliberations. The Kenosha community has endured much over the past 15 months, and yet we remain resilient and strong. We ask that members of our community continue to express their opinions and feelings about this verdict in a civil and peaceful manner," Binger said.
Fox News' Jiovanni Lieggi contributed to this report.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said Friday that the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict "is not justice" and shows that "we have a lot of work to do."
"Kyle Rittenhouse used an assault weapon to kill two people. This is not justice.
"If there was any question about why we need strong gun safety laws, this is your answer. This should never have been allowed to happen in the first place.
We have a lot of work to do," Hochul said.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee released an updated statement responding to the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict, which found Rittenhouse not guilty on all charges.
Chris Hayden, the communications director for the DCCC, apologized in a tweet for releasing the "incorrect" version of the statement which said that Jacob Blake was killed and unarmed. The new statement removed both of those claims.
Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y., the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman, said in a statement Friday that the outcome of the Kyle Rittenhouse trial is “Disgusting and disturbing.”
Rep. Maloney, D-N.Y., also said that Jacob Blake was killed. Blake, who was armed with a knife, survived the shooting but was left paralyzed after a Kenosha police officer shot him on Aug. 23, 2020.
The police officer was responding to a domestic disturbance call.
Fox News' Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot released a statement on Friday saying that while she respects the jury's decision in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, Rittenhouse "showed an utter disregard for human life."
“I am aware of the jury’s verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse case, and under our constitutional system, we must respect the jury’s decision. However, no one should ever take the law into their own hands, or attempt to make themselves the judge, jury, and executioner. What Kyle Rittenhouse did was reckless, dangerous, and showed an utter disregard for human life.
"My condolences go out to the family, friends, and loved ones of the victims during this difficult time. Let us also remember and pray for Jacob Blake and his family as he continues his journey of rehabilitation," Lightfoot said.
President Biden released the following statement following the Kyle Rittenhouse trial verdict, stating he is feeling "angry and concerned."
"While the verdict in Kenosha will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included, we must acknowledge that the jury has spoken. I ran on a promise to bring Americans together, because I believe that what unites us is far greater than what divides us. I know that we’re not going to heal our country’s wounds overnight, but I remain steadfast in my commitment to do everything in my power to ensure that every American is treated equally, with fairness and dignity, under the law.
"I urge everyone to express their views peacefully, consistent with the rule of law. Violence and destruction of property have no place in our democracy. The White House and Federal authorities have been in contact with Governor Evers’s office to prepare for any outcome in this case, and I have spoken with the Governor this afternoon and offered support and any assistance needed to ensure public safety," Biden said.
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Then-presidential candidate Joe Biden compared Kyle Rittenhouse to "white supremacists and militia groups" during a video posted to his Twitter in 2020.
The video was made in response to former President Donald Trump's comments during the Sept. 30, 2020 presidential debate.
"There’s no other way to put it: the President of the United States refused to disavow white supremacists on the debate stage last night," Biden said in a tweet on Sept. 30, 2020.
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Hollywood stars have reacted to the not guilty verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial. On Friday, he was acquitted of all charges after pleading self-defense in the deadly Kenosha, Wisconsin, shootings in the summer of 2020.
Upon hearing the verdict, the 18-year-old Rittenhouse began to choke up, fell to the floor, and then hugged one of his attorneys. It didn't take long for celebrities to respond on Twitter.
"Shameless" actor Emmy Rossum tweeted, "This is a devastating blow."
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Prominent Democrats, progressives, and left-leaning groups erupted Friday following Kyle Rittenhouse's acquittal on all charges in his closely watched trial in Kenosha, Wis., calling it a miscarriage of justice.
The 18-year-old Rittenhouse was found not guilty on all five counts, including the two most serious of intentional homicide, in last year's shootings during violent unrest in Kenosha. Rittenhouse successfully argued he acted in self-defense when he wounded one man and shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, D., fumed over the verdict.
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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers released the following statement responding to the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict, which found Rittenhouse not guilty on all charges filed against him.
“No verdict will be able to bring back the lives of Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum or heal Gaige Grosskreutz’s injuries, just as no verdict can heal the wounds or trauma experienced by Jacob Blake and his family. No ruling today changes our reality in Wisconsin that we have work to do toward equity, accountability and justice that communities across our state are demanding and deserve.
“Kenoshans are strong, resilient, and have spent the last year working every day together toward healing. This case and the resulting national spotlight on the Kenosha community and our state have undoubtedly reopened wounds that have not yet fully healed. I echo the calls of local Kenosha community leaders and join them in asking everyone who might choose to assemble and exercise their First Amendment rights in any community to please only do so safely and peacefully. We must have peace in Kenosha and our communities, and any efforts of actions aimed at sowing division are unwelcome in our state as they will only hinder that healing.
“I’ve seen the pain and the frustration of so many, and we must remain steadfast in our commitment to ending violence in our communities, supporting victims and survivors as they heal from trauma, and rooting out the disparities that are so often inextricably linked to that violence and trauma. We must be unwavering in our promise to build a state where every kid, person, and family can live their life free of violence and have every chance to be successful.
“We must move forward, together, more united and more motivated to build the sort of future we want for our state – one that is just, one that is equitable, and one where every person has the resources and opportunity to thrive-and I will not stop working to achieve that vision.”
President Biden said he stands by what the jury concluded in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, which declared Rittenhouse not guilty on all charges filed against him.
President Biden made the statement while responding to past comments by Joe Biden's then-presidential campaign which compared Rittenhouse to a White supremacist.
Fox News' Peter Doocy contributed to this report
Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley reacted Friday to Kyle Rittenhouse being found not guilty on all counts in his closely watched Kenosha homicide trial, saying the case was rushed against the teenager and the prosecution made fatal errors.
"The troubling aspect of this trial was an array of prosecutorial blunders and in my view misconduct. The prosecution made reference to his silence despite a long line of Supreme Court cases saying it’s unconstitutional," Turley said. "There was evidence that was withheld. There was questions as to how the prosecution stated the facts. All of that’s troubling in this hothouse public opinion. I think that pressure did invade the courtroom. I think it affected the prosecution and quite frankly I think it undermined the prosecution."
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The jurors are leaving the Kenosha County Courthouse. None of them commented.
Many of them walked out of the elevator with masks pulled up very far and hoods on.
It was clear they didn’t want to be seen or talk to the media, Fox News' Jiovanni Lieggi reports.
Kyle Rittenhouse's family spokesperson speaks to Fox News following the jury's not guilty verdict on all charges in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Civil rights attorney Leo Terrell tells Fox News that the Kyle Rittenhouse jury issued a "just verdict."
The Fox News contributor discusses media coverage and prosecutorial ‘blunders’ after Rittenhouse verdict.
Click here to watch on Fox News.
The St. Louis couple who stood on their property brandishing firearms as Black Lives Matter protestors marched past their home in 2020 is speaking out following the not guilty verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial.
"It’s a great day for America, the First amendment, Second amendment," Patricia McCloskey told Fox News Digital in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
“The mainstream media as recently as today was still repeating all the big lies about Kyle," added her husband, Mark.
"The 12 ordinary citizens could see through all the BS and apply the facts to the law," Mark McCloskey also told Fox News Digital's Michael Ruiz. "It’s nice to know that when individuals take a stand and defend themselves that the jury system in this country will recognize the right of self-defense and back them up."
"If you want to protest do it peacefully. There is no right to burn or break or hurt or kill. But you’ve got every right in the world to express your opinion peaceably -- as the First amendment says," Mark McCloskey added.
After reading the not guilty verdict, Judge Bruce Schroeder told the jurors in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial “you're never under any obligation to discuss any aspect of this case with anyone.
“You're welcome to do so as little or as much as you want,” he continued. “The media have requested -- a number of media sources have requested the ability to talk to you... and it's entirely up to you whether you want contact them. They are not to contact you. If anyone does contact you and you tell them you're not interested in discussing it. If that's the case and if anyone persists in doing so, report that to us and it will be addressed. I assure you.”
Schroeder also said “at the beginning of the trial, there was some concern about information and your safety and I assure you that we will take every measure to ensure that that is your concerns are addressed and respected.”
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, during a press briefing prior to the not guilty verdict being announced in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, said "once it's concluded, I'm sure there will be something we have to say from the White House."
Jurors in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Friday declared Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty on all counts, capping off an intense trial surrounding the deadly unrest in that city last summer.
Rittenhouse, 18, would have faced a mandatory life sentence if found guilty and convicted of first-degree intentional homicide.
The verdict came on the fourth day of deliberations and 15th day of the trial.
Click here to read more on Fox News.
Count 1: First Degree Reckless Homicide - Not Guilty
Count 2: First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety - Not Guilty
Count 3: First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety - Not Guilty
Count 4: First Degree Intentional Homicide - Not Guilty
Count 5: Attempted First Degree Intentional Homicide - Not Guilt
Jury finds Kyle Rittenhouse found not guilty on all counts.
(Fox News)
Kyle Rittenhouse is in the courtroom as he awaits the verdict.
The jury in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial has reached a verdict, Fox News has confirmed.
There is a noticeable increase in police presence in the courthouse, according to Fox News' Jiovanni Lieggi.
All families of those who were killed are in the building heading into the courtroom.
The jury in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial has ordered lunch and is still in deliberations, according to Fox News' Jiovanni Lieggi.
The deliberations are now approaching their 26th hour.
Kyle Rittenhouse, left, along with all of the attorneys in the case make their way out of the courtroom after the jury was relieved for the day at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Thursday. (Sean Krajacic/The Kenosha News via AP)
“I think there's always a concern on the part of the prosecution and, of course, on the defense, when there is a holiday coming up – or weekend coming up or some big event – that the jury may hurry through deliberations and come to a decision that might not be the same decision they would have come to had they spent more time,” longtime criminal defense attorney Julie Rendelman told Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Pagones on Friday.
Rendelman is a former prosecutor who is based in New York City. She is not involved in the Rittenhouse case, but has been following the proceedings closely.
“With that said,” she continued, “I think the jury has already spent, now it's going to be close to four full days of deliberation reviewing the judge's instructions on the law, reviewing the videos. And so it seems that they're taking the time they should be in trying to get to a just decision.
”The jury began deliberating around 9 a.m. CT Friday, after previously spending more than 23 total hours behind closed doors.
She noted, however: “The longer it takes the more it feels like there's a potential that they will not come to an agreement on all the charges.”
Law enforcement agencies in Kenosha, Wisconsin, have said they are monitoring the situation surrounding an impending verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, with jury deliberations entering their fourth day on Friday.
Officers and deputies from the local police and sheriff’s departments can be seen positioned around the Kenosha County Courthouse, where dozens of protesters have gathered each day.
On Wednesday, tensions between opposing groups rose to the point where police swarmed the front of the building and ultimately arrested two people, including one man for battery and disorderly conduct, the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department said.
The police and sheriff’s departments have been releasing joint statements regarding their plans surrounding the trial. The agencies have said they are continuing to monitor the situation and are coordinating with other law enforcement accordingly.
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Kyle Rittenhouse, center, waits for the judge before the jury is relieved for the day during his trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Thursday. (Sean Krajacic/The Kenosha News via AP)
The jury deliberating the fate of accused Kenosha, Wisconsin, shooter Kyle Rittenhouse is in its fourth day of deliberations, after spending about 23 and a half hours behind closed doors so far.
The deliberations can take as long as the 12-person panel – made up of seven women and five men – decides it needs. If the jury does not reach a verdict on Friday, the deliberations will continue into next week, possibly through the weekend.
The jurors will typically break for lunch in the early afternoon before they proceed for the rest of the day.
Speaking to Fox News Digital earlier this week, criminal defense attorney Julie Rendelman said the questions that the jury asks during its deliberations can often provide insight into where jurors’ heads are, but noted that predicting when they would be ready to announce a verdict is "so difficult."
"We’ve had cases where we think the verdict is going to come in five minutes and it comes in 10 days," said Rendelman, a former prosecutor based in New York. "And, you also have to realize there could be no verdict. You can’t forget that – meaning that there could be a hung jury."
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Kyle Rittenhouse's mother, Wendy Rittenhouse, right, is comforted by defense jury expert Jo-Ellan Dimitrius as she listens to testimony about Rittenhouse shooting people during his trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Nov. 10, 2021 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. (Mark Hertzberg-Pool/Getty Images)
One of the many faces seen in the background of the ongoing Kyle Rittenhouse trial was someone who is no stranger to packed courtrooms and high-profile cases: longtime jury consultant Dr. Jo-Ellan Dimitrius.
Dimitrius could be seen sitting next to Rittenhouse’s mother, Wendy Rittenhouse, inside the Kenosha County, Wisconsin courtroom during the trial. On Nov. 10, while the 18-year-old took the stand in his own defense, Dimitrius could be seen consoling a sobbing Wendy Rittenhouse.
But Dimitrius is much more than just someone tending to the upset mother of a defendant. She’s working as a jury consultant hired by Rittenhouse’s legal team for her decades of knowledge and expertise in reading people and situations.
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Judge Bruce Schroeder talks about why he let the jury take home the jury instructions at the end of the day in Kyle Rittenhouse's trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Thursday. (Sean Krajacic/The Kenosha News)
Deliberations in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial began Tuesday morning. Since then, the 12 jurors have deliberated for over 23 hours without reaching a verdict on the five felony charges brought against the 18-year old in the shooting death of two men during unrest in Kenosha following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in August 2020.
Jurors do not have a set time limit on deliberations, but must come to a unanimous decision for each charge.
If the jury cannot agree on a verdict on any of the counts, Judge Bruce Schroeder can declare a mistrial on those counts.
The prosecution could then retry the case on those counts where a unanimous decision was not reached, but the remainder of the verdict would stand.
The jury in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse left the courthouse around 4:10 p.m. CT on Thursday after the third day of deliberations.
"You’ve certainly put in a full day and have asked to retire for the evening, which is fine,” Judge Bruce Schroeder told the jury.
The seven women and five men have spent roughly 23 1/2 hours deliberating over the past three days, including lunch breaks.
Judge Schroeder granted one juror’s request to take copies of the instructions home with them and noted that the 36 pages are complicated.
"I don’t know about you guys, I watch a little TV in the morning and in the evening, and some of the greatest legal minds in the country, I’m delighted to say, agree with us that the instructions are very confusing,” the judge told the prosecution and defense.
Defense attorney Mark Richards was hesitant about jurors taking the instructions home.
"I’m afraid it’s going to be the old dictionary game and they start defining words and things like that, outside research. That’s my concern,” Richards told the judge.
The jury requested copies of the 36-page jury instructions on Tuesday and entered the courtroom to briefly rewatch videos from the trial on Wednesday.
They'll report back to the courthouse at 9:00 a.m. CT on Friday. - Paul Best
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