Kyle Rittenhouse is awaiting trial for fatally shooting two people and seriously injuring a third with a rifle he couldn’t legally carry. His multiple charges include two felony counts of intentional homicide. Regardless of how one feels about the circumstances surrounding the Aug. 25 shooting in Kenosha, Wis., there’s no denying that, on paper, he appears to be the kind of criminal Americans would have no problem condemning even before he’s found guilty. Except, Rittenhouse is white, looks like the kid next door (to white people) and is an American’s American—meaning he loves cops, guns, vigilante “justice” and, well, America.
This is why Rittenhouse was easily able to raise funds to pay his $2 million bail and why he thought nothing of hitting a bar fresh off of his release and hanging out with local white supremacists. It’s why Rittenhouse was likely confident that violating court orders by leaving the court with a false address would be no big deal—and it’s why he was absolutely right about that.
The Washington Post reports that during a virtual hearing on Thursday, Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder denied the motion by prosecutors to have Rittenhouse rearrested for violating the terms of his release and raise his bond by $200,000.
From the Post:
Schroeder acknowledged that the 18-year old had failed to keep the court apprised of his residence but disagreed with arguments by Assistant District Attorney Thomas C. Binger, noting that Rittenhouse’s release conditions require only that the defendant provide the court with his address, not that he actually reside there.
“To issue a warrant now for a defendant that has appeared at every hearing would be breaking the law, and I’m not going to do it,” Schroeder said, adding that he lacked the authority to issue the kind of warrant Binger requested.
“Rittenhouse’s release conditions require only that the defendant provide the court with his address, not that he actually reside there.”
Bruh, WHAT?
What kind of “whites only” bail conditions are these that allow someone charged in multiple homicides to give the court any old address while the defendant lives wherever the hell he pleases?
You know what? Never mind; I’ve been writing about “two Americas” since Rittenhouse first became news.
According to the Post, during the Thursday hearing—which included statements by Gaige Grosskreutz, the man who survived being shot by Rittenhouse; and John Huber, the father of Anthony Huber, one of the victims who died—Schroeder did order Rittenhouse’s attorneys to provide the court with a current address, saying it would be kept secret from everyone except the judge, court clerk, and sheriff. His attorneys previously argued their client left the address the court had on file because of “numerous death and other threats based on the events of August 25, 2020 in the City of Kenosha, Wisconsin,” according to CNN.
More from the Post:
During the hour-long hearing, which was at times contentious, Schroeder attempted to head off several arguments that veered too close to the political back-and-forth that has gripped the case. He stressed that he was trying to be as fair as possible to everyone involved.
“This case is not going to be decided by demonstrators of one type or another,” he said.
Yeah, let’s just hope this case isn’t actually decided by America’s blindness to white criminality. If the handling of Rittenhouse up until now is any indication of how he’ll be treated when tried, I won’t be holding my breath that his story ends in consequences for his actions.
No comments: