That was quite a colorful story James C. Nelson wrote about the Kyle Rittenhouse incident and trial in the Dec. 8 issue of The Monitor, but to me it appeared mostly to not be based on facts. Contrary to Mr. Nelson’s argument, the Rittenhouse verdict set a precedent for the rule of law.
Since the trial was televised, I watched quite a bit of it and this is what I learned.
The presiding judge in the trial was Judge Bruce Schroeder, a no-nonsense person appointed in 1983 by a Democrat governor.
Mr. Nelson pointed out that Rittenhouse came all the way from another state—which is true—about 20 miles away. But it was also proven that Rittenhouse had in fact been asked to protect a business by a friend in Kenosha prior to the riot. His mother drove him to the business and left him there with his rifle.
According to Rittenhouse, there were quite a few people getting near the business he was protecting, scaring him into leaving and to try to make it to the police line. Someone had started a dumpster on fire close by as he was running. He saw three men chasing after him, who turned out to be the three he would later shoot. They caught up with him, hitting him and knocking him to the ground, at which time he opened fire, killing two and wounding one—the one who pulled a pistol.
During the trial, Gaige Grosskreutz, the person wounded and a witness for the prosecution, testified that Rittenhouse did not shoot at him until after Grosskreutz drew his own pistol, which he was carrying illegally, and pointed it at Rittenhouse. That pretty well established the self-defense plea.
All three of the men shot by Rittenhouse were white and had criminal records.
As for the so-called peaceful protest, according to ABC7 Chicago:
1. 40 buildings destroyed,
2. 100 buildings damaged,
3. $50 million in damages to businesses, infrastructure and property,
4. $2 million in damages to city-owned property,
5. Several cars including police cruisers destroyed.
I too am concerned this could be a trend if officials don’t start backing the police departments’ enforcement of laws and prosecutors prosecuting the perpetrators.
Hugh Johnson is a resident of Boulder.
