When Kyle Rittenhouse broke down sobbing on the stand during his trial, there were plenty of people who claimed on social media (LeBron James among them) that he was faking. Well, he obviously wasn’t faking today as he stood to hear the verdict and then collapsed as he was found not guilty on all counts.
As the first count in the death of Joseph Rosenbaum came back “not guilty” there was a silent reaction from the people in the courtroom, but Rittenhouse didn’t react at first. It was only when he was found not guilty on the fourth count, the one relating to the death of Anthony Huber, that he started to shake and sob silently. I’m not 100% confident about this but I think the woman behind him in the glasses is Kyle’s sister. She started to cry at the same moment.
As soon as the verdict in the last count relating to Gaige Grosskreutz was read, Rittenhouse stayed on his feet for a couple more seconds and then fell to the table.
He then sat up and attempted to stand but his legs weren’t cooperating. He slumped back down and defense attorney Natalie Wisco had to help guide him back onto a chair:
At that point, defense attorney Corey Chirafisi turned toward him and Rittenhouse gave him a hug (shown above). Chirafisi could be seen telling him to breath. Meanwhile, the judge thanked the jury and told them they were not obligated to speak to anyone about the trial. “You’re welcome to do so as little or as much as you want,” he said. But he added that media outlets had asked to speak to them but it would be at their option.
After the jury left, Judge Schroeder asked the defense if they had anything to say and defense attorney said he moved for judgment on the verdicts. Then Judge Schroeder turned to ADA Binger who replied that the jury had spoken. Judge Shroeder then dismissed all counts with prejudice marking the end of this trial.
The big question now is how everyone else reacts to these verdicts. There have been a handful of protesters outside the courthouse every day and just yesterday one of them was arrested for attacking a reporter. So there are probably still a lot of people out there who are not prepared for this verdict.
I’ll update this post with some reactions but for now here’s video of the not guilty verdicts being read:
Update: The reaction to the verdicts from outside the courthouse.
Cheers outside the Kenosha County Courthouse after Kyle Rittenhouse is found not guilty. pic.twitter.com/LhQQSRrgiF
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) November 19, 2021
Also, here’s a short clip of the verdicts being read so you don’t have to scroll through that entire video above:
This is a much better angle of the moment Kyle Rittenhouse got the news he's NOT GUILTY pic.twitter.com/0iQnGQ0rST
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) November 19, 2021
And…it’s already not going well outside the courthouse. Jacob Blake’s uncle was giving an interview to CNN when another family member (?) who was standing behind him started shouting out a man with a “Free Kyle” sign, calling him a “piece of s***.”
The family of criminal Jacob Blake clashes with Rittenhouse supporters outside the courthouse. A woman calls a man with a "Free Kyle" sign a "piece of s***" and attacks the "all-white jury." His uncle claims today is worse than when the officer was acquitted. pic.twitter.com/cj2596ToJ0
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) November 19, 2021
Here’s the guy she was shouting at who said he’d come from California to hold the sign. When asked by a member of the media he gave his name as “Brandon, Let’s Go.”
A man in support of Kyle Rittenhouse trolls reporters outside of the courthouse by telling them his name is "Brandon, Let's Go" pic.twitter.com/PZG3EcnZ3C
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) November 19, 2021
Pity poor MSNBC. They’d already been banned from the courthouse, now they cut away to listen to Jacob Blake’s uncle only to then have Blake’s uncle appear on the left side of the screen. Oops!
After the Rittenhouse verdict, MSNBC cuts to Jacob Blake's uncle speaking. Except it's not Jacob Blake's uncle at all. This entire trial has been HUGE embarrassment for MSNBC. pic.twitter.com/udw4jB2afM
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) November 19, 2021
I’ve been expecting a bunch of reactions like this one from Mayor de Blasio. Of course what he says here about crossing state lines with a gun is not true, as is the idea that Rittenhouse just started shooting people. The jury just said that’s not what happened.
Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum are victims. They should be alive today.
The only reason they’re not is because a violent, dangerous man chose to take a gun across state lines and start shooting people.
To call this a miscarriage of justice is an understatement. https://t.co/TwaI2ghgM5
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) November 19, 2021
Chris Christie gets it right.
Justice was done in the Rittenhouse verdict. Renews our faith in the jury system. When prosecutors overreach as they did in this case, juries are there to insure justice for the defendant. It is not a perfect system—but still the best one in the world.
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) November 19, 2021
Update: Glenn Beck wants to help him “sue the crap” out of corporate media:
I will donate money to Kyle Rittenhouse so he can sue the CRAP out of corporate media. pic.twitter.com/bVAekXWN9D
— Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) November 19, 2021
Jesse Singal makes a great point:
If you are surprised by this verdict you should rethink your news consumption habitshttps://t.co/Jf1PXObwTt
— Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) November 19, 2021
Update: Here’s one sad person that ought to take Singal’s advice.
A very dark message sent to all the other heavily armed would-be vigilantes out there.
— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) November 19, 2021
Tulsi Gabbard:
The jury got it right—finding Rittenhouse not guilty on all charges. The fact that charges were brought before any serious investigation is evidence that the government was motivated by politics, which itself should be considered criminal.
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) November 19, 2021
Elie Mystal, the Nation’s justice correspondent, is not happy:
And, just to cut some of you fucking racists off before y'all get started, the reason I keep saying "white people" have a fairly uncomplicated right to self-defense, is because EVERYBODY KNOWS a BLACK TEEN could not do what Rittenhouse did and walk away with an acquittal.
— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) November 19, 2021
So are we going to see some anger out on the streets tonight?
Left-wing accounts are furious and are inciting mass violence on Twitter after Kyle #Rittenhouse was found not guilty on all the charges. #Kenosha pic.twitter.com/M62aHnqrjB
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) November 19, 2021
And President Biden, who earlier claimed Rittenhouse was a white supremacist, says he supports the jury’s verdict and the jury system.
“I stand by what the jury has to say. The jury system works," the president said when asked about Rittenhouse verdict, per pool.
— Katie Rogers (@katierogers) November 19, 2021
Cori Bush calls the verdict “white supremacy in action.”
The judge. The jury. The defendant.
It’s white supremacy in action.
This system isn’t built to hold white supremacists accountable. It’s why Black and brown folks are brutalized and put in cages while white supremacist murderers walk free.
I’m hurt. I’m angry. I’m heartbroken.
— Cori Bush (@CoriBush) November 19, 2021
Megyn Kelly has a very different take:
Justice was done. Kyle Rittenhouse was unfairly maligned by a dishonest press, and politicians who used him to advance their own fortunes. If there are riots, these smear merchants will shoulder much of the blame.
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) November 19, 2021
Nina Turner just ignoring all of the evidence in the trial.
What is the precedent this ruling sets?!
Is it now ok to kill protesters marching in support of Black lives?
The justice system in this country was built on proximity to whiteness and designed to uphold it.
Dismantling it isn’t a slogan—it’s a call to overcome a racist past
— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) November 19, 2021
Meanwhile, the “protesters” are making plans:
“America gonna burn tonight”#Rittenhouse #Kenosha pic.twitter.com/LP6jzIEZyk
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) November 19, 2021
Update: Of course…
We just witnessed a system built on white supremacy validate the terroristic acts of a white supremacist.
This only further validates the need to abolish our current system. White supremacy cannot be reformed.
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) November 19, 2021
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