#Not guilty kyle trial#

In right-wing and pro-gun circles, Rittenhouse, who claimed he went to Kenosha to protect businesses from looters and act as a medic, was hailed as a heroic figure. The jury deliberated for a total of 26 hours over four days before delivering a unanimous verdict of not guilty on all counts.Д¬ivil unrest erupted in Kenosha, a city of 100,000 on the shores of Lake Michigan, in August 2020 after a white policeman shot a Black man, Jacob Blake, in the back several times during an arrest, leaving him paralyzed. The most serious charge - intentional homicide - carried a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Rittenhouse faced five charges - one count of intentional homicide, one count of reckless homicide, one count of attempted intentional homicide and two counts of recklessly endangering safety. Prosecutors dismissed the self-defense claim, saying it was the then 17-year-old Rittenhouse who 'provoked' the events during a night of unrest in Kenosha.

#Not guilty kyle trial#

Rittenhouse testified during the two-week trial that he shot dead two men and wounded another with his AR-15 semi-automatic rifle after being attacked.

Protestors also marched in Chicago and New York, while in Portland demonstrators clashed with law enforcement and damaged buildings. Several opponents marched around beating drums and chanting 'Guilty, guilty, the whole system is guilty as hell.' There were scattered cheers and clapping from supporters of Rittenhouse outside the Kenosha courthouse after the verdict. 'I urge everyone to express their views peacefully, consistent with the rule of law. 'While the verdict in Kenosha will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included, we must acknowledge that the jury has spoken,' Biden said in a statement. President Joe Biden warned against violence following the verdict in the closely watched trial and appealed for calm. Rittenhouse, who claimed he acted in self-defense, sobbed and shook as the verdict was read, sank into his chair and embraced his lawyer before rushing out of the courtroom. The case drew national attention, in part because it arose from the Black Lives Matter demonstrations that swept the country last year and featured a controversial mix of guns, racial tensions and vigilantism.

Kyle Rittenhouse, the American teenager who shot dead two men during protests and riots against police brutality in Wisconsin last year, was acquitted of all charges on Friday after a high-profile and politically divisive trial.ДЄ jury found Rittenhouse, 18, not guilty of reckless and intentional homicide and other charges stemming from the shootings that took place in August 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin.