Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old accused of killing two people during a riot in Kenosha, was ordered by a court commissioner to stand trial on charges including first degree intentional homicide, numerous sources reported Thursday.
A Wisconsin court commissioner denied a request to dismiss 2 of the 6 charges facing Kyle Rittenhouse, who is accused of killing 2 people during the Kenosha protests — and ordered the case to go to trial.https://t.co/NMbpQlLWbV
— NPR (@NPR) December 4, 2020
Kenosha County Court Commissioner Loren Keating found probable cause that Rittenhouse committed a felony and bound him over for trial during a preliminary hearing, USA Today reported.
BREAKING: Judge has ordered Kyle #Rittenhouse to stand trial on all six counts—including charges related to the deaths of two men and the shooting of a third during a #Kenosha protest in August.
Rittenhouse remains free on $2M bail.
— Pilar Melendez (@pbmelendez) December 3, 2020
Rittenhouse has been accused of shooting and killing two protesters, Anthony Huber, 26, and Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and injuring Gaige Grosskreutz, 22, during civil unrest in August ignited by the shooting of Jacob Blake. He is facing six charges from the shooting, including first degree intentional homicide and attempted intentional homicide.
Rittenhouse’s lawyer Mark Richards accused prosecutors of presenting a “one-sided, stilted” view, according to CNN, and showed surveillance footage that he said indicated Rittenhouse had acted in self-defense. He also argued for the dismissal of a weapons charge, pointing to an exception in Wisconsin’s law about minors possessing dangerous weapons. Rittenhouse was allegedly armed with a Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Rifle, according to NBC.
Dominick Black, 19, was charged with two felonies after allegedly giving a rifle to Rittenhouse, who allegedly paid for it with his own money.
Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger said the claim of self-defense was a topic for trial, and responded with Richards’ claim about weapons possession by a person under the age of 18.
“We don’t trust them (minors) with these weapons because of exactly what happened in this case,” Binger said, according to CNN.
Rittenhouse made his first court appearance Nov. 2 where he was deemed a flight risk and held on $2 million cash bond. He was released from jail nearly 3 weeks later after paying the bond. (RELATED: Kyle Rittenhouse Released From Jail On $2 Million Bond)
The arraignment is set to take place Jan. 5.