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November 16, 2021

500 National Guard Troops on Standby as Jury Deliberations Open in Kyle Rittenhouse Trial
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In Kenosha, Wisconsin, jury deliberations begin today in the trial of
Kyle Rittenhouse, the white teenage gunman who fatally shot two people
and wounded a third during protests over the police shooting of Jacob
Blake in 2020. Rittenhouse faces five felony charges including
first-degree intentional homicide. On Monday the judge dropped a sixth
charge for unlawful weapon possession. During closing arguments,
Assistant District Thomas Binger urged jurors to convict Rittenhouse. 

Thomas Binger: "There is no doubt in this case that the defendant
committed these crimes. He committed a first degree reckless homicide
against Joseph Rosenbaum, he put Richie Mc Ginniss' life in jeopardy, he
put Jump Kick Man's life in jeopardy, he intended to kill Anthony Huber.
And he attempted to kill Gaige Grosskreutz. All of those elements are
true."

During his closing argument, defense attorney Mark Richards maintained
Kyle Rittenhouse had acted in self-defense.

Mark Richards: "Kyle shot Joseph Rosenbaum to stop a threat to his
person. And I'm glad he shot him. Because if Joseph Rosenbaum had got
that gun, I don't for a minute believe he wouldn't have used it against
someone else. He was irrational and crazy."

As the jury begins deliberations, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has put 500
National Guard troops on standby ahead of a possible verdict.


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