Rittenhouse Trial Outcome - Protests Emerge

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

Okay, Cliff's Notes? What exactly happened here?

Self-defense laws are badly designed in the US and the situation here effectively awarded whoever shot first with an affirmative defense.

Good grief, where are we? Tombstone, Arizona circa 1875?

Ayup. From NYMag:

Put differently: Once Rittenhouse fired his first shots, he and his attackers plausibly entered a context in which neither could be held legally liable for killing the other. Whether one emerged from this confrontation legally innocent or lawfully executed hinged on little more than one’s relative capacity for rapidly deploying lethal violence.

So in your opinion, is the plea of defense in this particular case of fatality shoddy, or were people actually trying to confront him in the escalated situation where one or more people had a firearm?

Well, there was someone else who was armed with a gun:

Gaige Grosskreutz, 28, approached and pointed a handgun at Rittenhouse; Rittenhouse nearly blew Grosskreutz’s right arm off.

In a counter-factual situation, where Grosskreutz blew Rittenhouse away, the prosecution would have had to prove that Grosskreutz didn't reasonably believe that shooting Rittenhouse would spare themself or others from imminent harm or that Grosskreutz had engaged in unlawful conduct that would provoke others to attack. Given that Grosskreutz was attracted by the previously fired shots and could not have known the entire situation (i.e. Rittenhouse was acting in self defense), it proves difficult to convict hypothetical Grosskreutz.

It sounds like you're framing this as a random escalated occurrence between two parties, one of the parties being disparately sequenced. I'm fairly certain that the circumstances were stipulated that Rittenhouse was in a naturally defensive position while the protestors were in an arguably aggressive position. I mean with that in consideration, there's still a big burden to determine if Rittenhouse fired in more cold of tension, but it's not like they are on equal footing by terms of a mutual conflict.

[ProfessorDetective]

So, fella shot protesters, claimed self-defense, and fella somehow won? Great, that's what I was confused on.

[Mickey_Rat15]

So, fella shot protesters, claimed self-defense, and fella somehow won? Great, that's what I was confused on.

A more contextual play by play:

Emotionally disturbed "protester"* starts dumpster fire. Fella helps put out dumpster fire. Emotionally disturbed "protester" chases fella (while screaming racist epithets). Fella attempts to escape from emotionally disturbed "protester". Emotionally disturbed "protester" corners Fella and tries to jump him. Fella fatally shoots Emotionally disturbed "protester". Protester 2 arrives and starts beating Fella with makeshift weapon (skateboard). Fella fatally shoots Protester 2. Protester 3 arrives and pulls (illegally possessed) handgun on Fella. Fella shoots Protester 3 in gun arm, nonfatally wounding him.

The above sequence was established by testimony and video evidence. It is why the defense "somehow" won.

*It is unclear whether Rosenbaum and his friends were there to protest or were engaging in a bit of chaos tourism.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

And by fairly certain I mean not at all lol.

[pilight]

Rittenhouse is a killer

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

Rittenhouse is a killer

Kinda begs the question don't you think?

[ProfessorDetective]

Rittenhouse is a killer

I believe the thing is question is weather or not said killing was JUSTIFIED...

[goodperson25]

Rittenhouse is a killer

I believe the thing is question is weather or not said killing was JUSTIFIED...

And the attempt by the US Justice system to question whether or not it was justified is also under questioning in this thread. And that Rittenhouse is a killer and did kill his victims may be necessary to repeat in that context.

[Mickey_Rat15]

Rittenhouse is a killer

I believe the thing is question is weather or not said killing was JUSTIFIED...

And the attempt by the US Justice system to question whether or not it was justified is also under questioning in this thread. And that Rittenhouse is a killer and did kill his victims may be necessary to repeat in that context.

The jury determined that the men Rittenhouse killed were not proven to be his victims. He had made a case that he had prevented himself from being their victim.

[CharlesPhipps]

In a completely irrelevant fact, Rittenhouse fanboys ruined one of my favorite video game songs. Far Cry 5's "Keep your Rifle by Your Side" was a parody of apocalyptic murder cultists and was overwhelmed by Rittenhouse fanboys when he was acquitted.

https://youtu.be/v0sdR-UdYzg