Kyle Rittenhouse’s lawyers have argued that sending the 17-year-old back to Wisconsin to face trial for shooting dead two protesters would ‘turn him over to the mob’ as they continue to fight his extradition from Illinois.
The teenager will for now remain in custody in his home state of Illinois following a brief video court hearing on Friday in Lake County, Illinois.
Rittenhouse was arrested at his home in Antioch, Illinois, a day after prosecutors say he shot and killed two protesters and injured a third on the streets of Kenosha on August 25.
He has been held in Illinois since then after his attorneys indicated late last month that they planned to fight his extradition to Wisconsin.
Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, will for now remain in custody in his home state of Illinois following a brief video court hearing on Friday in Lake County, Illinois
In court documents filed ahead of Friday’s hearing, Rittenhouse’s attorneys argued that he was acting in self-defense and extraditing him to Wisconsin authorities would violate his constitutional rights.
His defense team have previously portrayed the teen as a courageous patriot who was exercising his right to bear arms during unrest over the police shooting of black man Jacob Blake.
Rittenhouse’s lawyers have claimed that extraditing Rittenhouse ‘would be to turn him over to the mob’.
‘The premature and unsupported charges are contributing to unwarranted public condemnation,’ his attorneys aruged in the court filings.
‘Rittenhouse has been publicly branded a ‘mass murderer’, a ‘terrorist’, a ‘racist’, and more.’
During the hearing on Friday, Judge Paul Novak scheduled an October 30 hearing on the extradition request despite prosecutors saying they were prepared to move faster.
Prosecutors say Rittenhouse shot and killed two protesters and wounded a third on the streets of Kenosha on August 25. His attorneys have said Rittenhouse acted in self-defense and have portrayed him as a courageous patriot who was exercising his right to bear arms
During the hearing on Friday, Judge Paul Novak (left) scheduled an October 30 hearing on the extradition request. John Pierce, an attorney for Rittenhouse, said there was ‘no reason to rush’ and questioned Wisconsin prosecutors’ motivation for pursuing the charges
‘The law is pretty clear cut on this,’ Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Stephen Scheller said. ‘This case has been dragging on now, we´re already into October. … We want a hearing as soon as possible.’
John Pierce, an attorney for Rittenhouse, said there was ‘no reason to rush’ and questioned Wisconsin prosecutors’ motivation for pursuing the charges.
‘This is a very unique, extraordinary situation,’ Pierce said.
‘There is a massive amount of video evidence that shows beyond a shadow of a doubt this is not a legitimate criminal prosecution, it is a political prosecution.’
They also argued that Wisconsin prosecutors and Illinois authorities didn´t follow legal technicalities required for extradition.
Angelina Gabriele, Kenosha County’s deputy district attorney, said Friday the county’s documents “are in compliance with all legal requirements and their other claims do not have any legal merit’.
Extradition is typically a straightforward process and legal experts have expressed doubt that Rittenhouse’s attorneys could successfully prevent a court from sending him to Wisconsin to face charges there.
His arrest has become a rallying point for some on the right with a legal defense fund that has attracted millions in donations. Others, however, see Rittenhouse as a domestic terrorist whose presence with a rifle incited the protesters.
Rittenhouse is charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the killing of two protesters: Joseph Rosenbaum (left) and Anthony Huber (right)
Rittenhouse surrendered to police in his hometown of Antioch a day after the killings.
The teen, who is white, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the killing of two white protesters and attempted intentional homicide in the wounding of a third.
He also faces a misdemeanor charge of underage firearm possession for wielding a semi-automatic rifle.
If convicted of first-degree homicide, Rittenhouse would be sentenced to life in prison.
The teenager had traveled to Kenosha on August 25 from his home in nearby Antioch, Illinois, in a self-appointed role to protect the streets of Kenosha where the police shooting of Jacob Blake had sparked unrest during protests.
Cellphone videos from the night show chaotic scenes.
Video shows that Rittenhouse tripped in the street before 26-year-old Anthony Huber hit him with a skateboard and tried to take his rifle away. Rittenhouse opened fire, killing Huber
Rittenhouse then shot and injured Gaige Grosskreutz, who was holding a handgun at the time, as he approached the teenager
According to prosecutors and court documents, Rittenhouse shot and killed 36-year-old Joseph Rosenbaum after Rosenbaum threw a plastic bag at Rittenhouse, missing him, and tried to wrestle his rifle away.
While trying to get away in the immediate aftermath, Rittenhouse was captured on cellphone video saying ‘I just killed somebody.’
According to the complaint filed by prosecutors, someone in the crowd said, ‘Beat him up!’ and another yelled, ‘Get him! Get that dude!’
Video shows that Rittenhouse tripped in the street.
As he was on the ground, 26-year-old Anthony Huber hit him with a skateboard and tried to take his rifle away. Rittenhouse opened fire, killing Huber and wounding Gaige Grosskreutz who was holding a handgun at the time.
Cellphone video that captured some of the action shows Rittenhouse afterward walking slowly toward a police vehicle with his hands up, only to be waved through by police.
He returned to his Illinois home and turned himself in soon after. Police later blamed the chaotic conditions for not arresting Rittenhouse at the scene.
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