Given the jury in the homicide trial of Kyle Rittenhouse had deliberated for three days without reaching a verdict, I was certain a mistrial or hung jury would ultimately be declared.
So when the verdict of NOT GUILTY on all five charges was announced Friday afternoon, I was quite surprised.
Rittenhouse, 18, began to choke up, fell to the floor and then hugged one of his attorneys upon hearing the verdict.
He had been charged with homicide, attempted homicide and reckless endangering after killing two men and wounding a third with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle during a tumultuous night of protests over police violence against Black people (**DRINK** - ed.) in the summer of 2020. The former police youth cadet is white, as were those he shot.
The jury, which appeared to be overwhelmingly white (**DRINK** - ed.), deliberated for close to 3 1/2 days.
Rittenhouse could have gotten life in prison if found guilty on the most serious charge, first-degree intentional homicide, or what some other states call first-degree murder.
As he dismissed the jurors, Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder assured them the court would take "every measure" to keep them safe.
A sheriff's deputy immediately whisked Rittenhouse out a back door through the judge's chambers.
In reaction to the verdict, prosecutor Thomas Binger said the jury had spoken.
I can't lie to ya. I got quite misty about 8 or 9 minutes into the broadcast of the verdict when Rittenhouse collapsed in his chair upon being acquitted on all charges.
I'll definitely be talking a lot more about this on Sunday's radio show, which will feature a guest appearance by Townhall.com writer Julio Rosas. Julio covered the trial for TH in addition to being on the ground in Kenosha, WI last year during the height of the unrest.
We can rejoice that justice has indeed been served despite attempts by certain institutions (i.e. the media and radical activists) to undermine the case. We can never allow mob rule to prevail.
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