KYLE Rittenhouse wanted to be a "hero in a western" according to the head prosecutor in his trial as they presented closing arguments on Monday.
Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger also called Rittenhouse a "wannabe soldier" who "was looking for trouble that night."
Binger did this after he held up an AR-15 in the courtroom to show the jury how the teenager was holding his gun on the night he shot three people, killing two.
Binger told the jury "you lose the right to self-defense when you’re the one who brought the gun, when you are the one creating the danger, when you’re the one provoking other people."
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers is preparing for unrest after dramatic scenes in the courtroom as the teen told the jury about shooting three Black Lives Matter protesters last summer.
Closing arguments were given on Monday as a verdict expected this week.
Read our Kyle Rittenhouse live blog below for the latest news & updates…
- Catherina Gioino
WHO DID KYLE RITTENHOUSE ALSO ALLEGEDLY SHOOT?
Anthony Huber, 26, was also killed during the protests in Wisconsin.
Huber was a talented skateboarder according to Twitter.
There was a GoFundMe page to help Huber's partner Hannah Gittings, titled "Help Hannah" which raised money for funeral costs and other expenses incurred by his loss.
The page said: "On Tuesday 8/26 Anthony decided to use his voice and stand up for a cause that meant something.
- Catherina Gioino
WHO ELSE DID KYLE RITTENHOUSE ALLEGEDLY SHOOT?
Joseph D. Rosenbaum, 36, was one of two protesters who were shot during the fiery protests in Kenosha following the police-involved shooting of Jacob Blake.
Rosenbaum left behind a two-year-old daughter who lives in Waco, Texas.
His sister wrote on Facebook: "May you forever be with the angels and rest easy bro. I love you!"
A GoFundMe page was set up at the time by his friend Adriana Garcia to help his fiancée with his funeral and burial costs.
- Catherina Gioino
WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE KENOSHA PROTESTS?
Viral Twitter footage appears to show Rittenhouse walking among protesters holding a large AR-15-style rifle.
At one point in the footage, shots are heard and a man who had been standing in a parking lot falls to the ground, reportedly after being shot in the stomach.
The shooter then flees and is later seen jogging along a street before falling to the ground and shooting two people, one of them in the arm, during attempts to detain him.
The two people killed were identified as Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum.
The man sustaining the arm injury is Grosskreutz.
Footage also appeared to show Rittenhouse later walking into a line of armored police vehicles with his hands up while protesters shouted to officers that he was the person responsible for the shootings.
- Catherina Gioino
WHAT INJURIES DID GAIGE GROSSKREUTZ SUSTAIN?
Gaige Grosskreutz was identified as the third person allegedly shot by Kyle Rittenhouse as he protested against the police-involved shooting of Jacob Blake.
According to the Chicago Sun Times, the now-27-year-old needed arm surgery as a result of his injuries.
He needed reconstructive surgery after taking a bullet to the bicep, a close family friend told the outlet.
According to his testimony, Grosskreutz spent a week in the hospital, followed by months of physical therapy. He still experiences pain and weakness.
Grosskreutz volunteered as a medic for BLM protests in Milwaukee this summer, and his friends told TMJ4 that witnesses saw him helping out the night he was shot.
- Catherina Gioino
WHO IS GAIGE GROSSKREUTZ?
Gaige Grosskreutz is the third protester who was allegedly shot by Kyle Rittenhouse in the middle of a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Wisconsin.
Kyle Rittenhouse faces the last day of his murder trial on Monday, November 15, 2021.
On Monday, November 8, 2021, Grosskreutz took the stand at the Kyle Rittenhouse trial.
During his testimony, Grosskreutz admitted that he was armed with a pistol on the evening of the shooting, but insisted his hands were raised when Rittenhouse raised his rifle at him, fearing for his life.
"I was never trying to kill the defendant," he said.
"In that moment, I was trying to preserve my own life. But doing so while also taking the life of another is not something that I'm capable of or comfortable doing."
- Catherina Gioino
THE MCCLOSKEYS SEEN AMONG KYLE RITTENHOUSE SUPPORTERS
After being made into a symbol for guns rights and standing one's ground, Mark and Patricia McCloskey were seen at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday in support of Kyle Rittenhouse.
The McCloskeys, who were later pardoned by Missouri Governor Mike Pearson, were seen among Rittenhouse supporters who carried signs reading "TeamKyle" and "Self defense is not a crime."
- Catherina Gioino
WHO WERE THE MCCLOSKEYS?
Mark and Patricia McCloskey were the couple standing outside their St. Louis home pointing guns at Black Lives Matter demonstrators.
They received plenty of media attention for their actions, sparking nationwide controversy and leading to charges being filed against them.
In June 2021, the couple pled guilty to misdemeanor offenses: Mark for fourth-degree assault, and Patricia for harassment, with Mark paying a $750 fine and Patricia paying a $2000 fine.
Mark and Patricia outside the Kenosha Courthouse on November 15 - Catherina Gioino
GUN-TOTING MCCLOSKEY COUPLE SEEN AT KENOSHA COUNTY COURTHOUSE
Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the couple famous for pointing firearms at Black Lives Matter demonstrators at outside their St. Louis home on June 28, 2020, made a stop outside the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday.
The two were seen waving at cameras as they passed by.
- Jocelyn Cook
RITTENHOUSE DEFENDED ACTIONS ON THE STAND
Rittenhouse testified on Wednesday he was under attack when he killed two men – Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber – and wounded a third – Gaige Grosskreutz – with his rifle during a night of protests in Kenosha last summer.
The teen told the court: “I didn’t do anything wrong. I defended myself.”
Rittenhouse testified that the first man cornered him and put his hand on the barrel of Rittenhouse’s rifle, the second man hit him with a skateboard, and the third man came at him with a gun of his own.
- Jocelyn Cook
WHAT WAS THE DISMISSED CHARGE IN THE RITTENHOUSE CASE?
Before closing arguments on Monday, Judge Bruce Schroeder dismissed a count of possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18.
The charge was a misdemeanor but prosecutors believed it to be the most likely to net a conviction.
it was dismissed after prosecutors conceded in court that the rifle Rittenhouse used last summer was not short-barrelled.
Wisconsin’s statute includes an exception in cases like this.
- Jocelyn Cook
'PROVOKED INCIDENT'
Assistant DA Binger claimed in his closing arguments that Rittenhouse provoked "this entire incident" by brandishing his weapon before shooting dead two men and injuring a third.
"That is what provokes this entire incident," he said.
"If you are the one who is threatening others you lose the right to self-defense."
- Jocelyn Cook
WILL THE JURY MAKE A DECISION TODAY?
Closing arguments are still going on in the Rittenhouse case.
The prosecution will have a chance after the defense rests its case to respond to their argument, and it's unclear if that will happen on Monday evening.
Therefore, it's unclear when the jury will have the chance to deliberate over everything they've heard regarding the case.
- Jocelyn Cook
'RUSH TO JUDGMENT'
Defense attorney Mark Richards told the jury during closing arguments that there has been a "rush to judgment" in this particular case.
He said his client, Kyle Rittenhouse, was charged on August 27, before all the information was collected.
"This has been a rush to judgment," Richards claimed.
- Jocelyn Cook
CLOSING ARGUMENT CONTINUES
The defense team's closing argument in the Kyle Rittenhouse continues as of 4:10pm ET.
Prosecutors will get half an hour to respond to the points brought up during that closing before the case goes to the jury.
- Jocelyn Cook
DEFENSE SAYS SHOOTING VICTIM WAS 'LEAPING' AT RITTENHOUSE
Defense attorney Mark Richards claimed during his closing argument that Joseph Rosenbaum, the first individual shot by Kyle Rittenhouse on August 25, 2020, was "leaping" at him.
That may have been in response to prosecutor Thomas Binger arguing during his own closing argument that Rittenhouse provoked “this entire incident” by brandishing his weapon before shooting two men dead and injuring a third.
"You cannot claim self-defense against a danger you create," Binger said. "That's critical right here. If you're the one who is threatening others, you lose the right to claim self-defense."
- Jocelyn Cook
DEFENSE MAKES CLOSING ARGUMENTS
After a short break, court resumed and the defense began their closing arguments in the Kyle Rittenhouse case.
Defense attorney Mark Richards said early on in the argument that prosecutor Thomas Binger was "lying" and "misrepresenting" evidence in the case.
- Jocelyn Cook
DEFENSE TO MAKE CLOSING ARGUMENTS
The defense in the Kyle Rittenhouse case is set to make their closing argument this afternoon.
The court went on a short break after the prosecution finished its closing arguments.
- Jocelyn Cook
PROSECUTION ENDS CLOSING ARGUMENTS
Prosecutor Thomas Binger appeared to end his closing arguments around 3:10pm ET on Monday.
The judge then called for a short break.
- Jocelyn Cook
HAS THE CASE ENDED?
Closing arguments in the Kyle Rittenhouse case continued on Monday afternoon.
The case will not be concluded until closing arguments end and a verdict is determined.
- Jocelyn Cook
WHAT WAS RITTENHOUSE CHARGED WITH?
Rittenhouse was charged with first-degree homicide over the murder of two people in connection with the protests.
Rittenhouse pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The shooting suspect was freed from juvenile detention in Illinois after he was jailed.
Rittenhouse was released on a $2 million bail paid for mostly by supporters in November.
- Jocelyn Cook
JUDGE READ OFF 'PAGES' OF THINGS FOR JURY TO CONSIDER
Ahead of closing arguments, Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Bruce Schroeder took time this morning to reads instructions to the jury and laid out "some 36 pages of things they should consider," CNN noted.
Closing arguments continue this afternoon in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse after those instructions were given out.
- Jocelyn Cook
CLOSING ARGUMENTS RESUME
Court has resumed after a short break and the prosecution is resuming closing arguments in the Kyle Rittenhouse case.
- Frances Mulraney
JOSEPH ROSENBAUM WAS 'NO THREAT'
The prosecution argued in closing arguments that Joseph Rosenbaum posed 'no threat' to Kyle Rittenhouse before the teen shot him dead.
“There is this alleged threat that Mr. Rosenbaum made earlier in the evening to kill the defendant," Kenosha County Assistant DA Thomas Binger said.
“I will debunk that. That did not happen,” Binger continued.
“It is the one fact, in this case, the defendant wants you to believe that there is no video of – and in fact, I have the video of the entire incident, I played it for you and I’ll show it to you again. There is no threat.”
“There is also no evidence that Mr. Rosenbaum ever wanted the defendant’s gun,” he added.
- Frances Mulraney
DEFENSE CLOSING ARGUMENTS TO COME
The defense in Kyle Rittenhouse's trial will deliver its closing arguments this afternoon.
The teen told the court last week that he did not want to kill anyone that night.
His team has argued he acted in self-defense.
- Frances Mulraney
'PROVOKED INCIDENT'
Assistant DA Binger has claimed in his closing arguments that Rittenhouse provoked "this entire incident" by brandishing his weapon before shooting dead two men and injuring a third.
"That is what provokes this entire incident," he said. "If you are the one who is threatening others you lose the right to self-defense."
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