Kyle Rittenhouse Trial: Closing Arguments Begin, Kenosha Boards Up Their Windows With 500 National Guard Troops On Standby

Rittenhouse was initially facing seven charges for fatally shooting two people and seriously injuring a third during the unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin on August 25, 2020. However, early this morning, Judge Schroeder dropped the sixth charge against Rittenhouse, which was for the possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18.

The jury’s preparation to hear closing arguments also comes shortly after the judge revealed that the lawyers representing Rittenhouse filed an official motion for mistrial.

"The state has repeatedly violated instructions from the Court, acted in bad faith and intentionally provided technological evidence which was different from theirs," the official motion made by his lawyers reads. "For those reasons, the defendant respectfully requests the Court find 'prosecutorial overreaching' existed, that overreaching was intentional and in bad faith and thereby grant the defendant’s motion for a mistrial with prejudice."

But while the jury prepares to hear closing arguments inside the courthouse, which are expected to conclude by the end of today, the city of Kenosha outside the courthouse is preparing for the worst.

On Friday, Governor Tony Evers announced that 500 members of the National Guard would be present and on standby in Kenosha as the trial comes to an end and a final verdict is reached.

In addition to the presence of the National Guard, citizens and business owners in Kenosha have reportedly started to board up their windows in preparation of potential unrest following the verdict.

Although the prosecution seemed less than confident regarding their argument that Rittenhouse committed murder outside of self-defense, that doesn’t mean the defendant won’t be convicted for the lesser charges he is being charged with.

This was a point of concern at the trial last week, because while Rittenhouse’s lawyers objected to some of the lesser charges against their clients, they chose not to object to others. This forced the judge to explain to Rittenhouse the consequences of possibly being found guilty of the lesser charges.

“You're raising the risk of conviction, although you're avoiding the possibility that the jury will end up compromising on the more serious crime. And you're also decreasing the risk that you'll end up with a second trial because the jury is unable to agree,” Judge Schroeder told the defendant.

Rittenhouse reportedly told the judge that he understood.

With final arguments expected to conclude by the end of today, the jury of 12 is expected to announce their final verdict either today or tomorrow.