12 Jurors Will Decide The Verdict Of Kyle Rittenhouse's Trial

KENOSHA, WI — Twelve jurors were selected from a pool of 18 through a lottery system Tuesday before deliberations began in Kyle Rittenhouse's murder trial in Kenosha County Circuit Court.

The jury is composed of seven women and five men.

Jurors heard closing arguments Monday and Judge Bruce Schroeder dismissed a charge of possessing a dangerous weapon while under 18, granting a request by the defense. He also gave the jury the option to convict Rittenhouse of lesser charges.

Rittenhouse, 18, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, first-degree attempted homicide and two counts of recklessly endangering safety in the shooting deaths of Anthony Huber, 26, and Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and the shooting that injured Gaige Grosskreutz, 28.

Schroeder said Monday that jurors could choose to convict Rittenhouse of lesser charges, including second-degree intentional homicide in the shooting death of Huber and attempted second-degree reckless homicide in the shooting that injured Grosskreutz.

Twelve jurors will need to come to a unanimous decision on whether to convict Rittenhouse.

Meanwhile, Gov. Tony Evers announced that 500 Wisconsin National Guard troops would wait near Kenosha to deal with any issues once the verdict is announced.

Prosecutors Make Closing Arguments

Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger told the jury that Rittenhouse was guilty because he provoked people before he shot and killed them, that he injected himself into a dangerous situation and that he faced no threat from Rosenbaum.

Prosecutors presented drone footage that appeared to show Rittenhouse putting a fire extinguisher down on the ground and pointing a rifle before Rosenbaum chased him.

"Under Wisconsin law, you’re not allowed to point your gun at people. This is the provocation. This is what starts this incident,” Binger said.

Video provided by a witness showed Rittenhouse failing to administer aid to Rosenbaum or to put his rifle down as he ran up Sheridan Road to the police and away from the Car Source lot where Rosenbaum was shot, Binger said. In the video, Rittenhouse appeared to yell, "He pulled a gun!" to people as members of the crowd asked why he shot Rosenbaum.

A second video appeared to show two crowd members, including Huber, knock Rittenhouse's hat off and try to hit him with a skateboard, Binger said. Huber tried to pull Rittenhouse's gun away because he saw Rittenhouse as a threat before Rittenhouse shot and killed him.

"Everyone else has the right to defend themselves also, not just the defendant," Binger added.

Binger closed in part by saying, "No reasonable person would have done what [Rittenhouse] did, and that makes your decision easy. He is guilty of all counts."

Defense Disputed Prosecution's Claims

Defense attorney Mark Richards told the jury that Rittenhouse's actions were covered by Wisconsin's self-defense laws and argued that Rittenhouse was threatened by the people he shot in Kenosha in August 2020.

"This case is not a game. It’s [Rittenhouse's] life," Richards said, disputing Binger's statement that Rosenbaum didn't threaten the 18-year-old. "[Rosenbaum] was a rioter, and [Rittenhouse] had to deal with him that night alone."

Rosenbaum continued to chase Rittenhouse after he pointed a gun, and Rosenbaum reached for the barrel of Rittenhouse's rifle before being shot, Richards said.

The prosecution misrepresented Rittenhouse's behavior, Richards said. "He was asked to help provide in protecting property at the Car Sources, and he did."

Closing Statements Lasted Hours

After closing arguments, Schroeder gave the jury lengthy instructions about what they were required to consider in deciding whether Rittenhouse acted in self-defense or whether the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

The shootings broke out on the third night of protests in Kenosha sparked by the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Federal and local investigators cleared the white police officer who shot Blake, a Black man who was left partly paralyzed in the shooting.

See More On Patch

• Rittenhouse Trial: Judge Allows Lesser Charges
• National Guard On Standby For Rittenhouse Verdict: Evers
• Defense Rests Case In Rittenhouse Trial