KENOSHA, WI (WTAQ) — Opening statements have been made in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha.
Rittenhouse is charged with fatally shooting Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and wounding a third man during rioting over the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha during August of last year.
Prosecutor Thomas Binger argued that Rittenhouse instigated the violence and should never have been there.
“Kyle Rittenhouse had armed himself with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, and using that rifle, shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, an unarmed man,” Binger said.
Rittenhouse, who traveled to Kenosha from nearby Antioch, Illinois, had been at the riot after being asked by the owner of a local car lot to help defend the business during expected protests that evening. That’s according to opening statements from both Binger and Rittenhouse’s attorney, Mark Richards.
“Kyle Rittenhouse protected himself,” said Richards. “He protected his firearm, so that it couldn’t be taken and used against him or other people, from Mr. Rosenbaum, who made threats to kill. The other individuals, who did not see the shooting, attacked him in the street like an animal.”
Richards says the evidence shows those men attacked Rittenhouse first.
Video from the incident was shown to the jury, which was selected Monday. The trial is scheduled for at least two weeks.
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