The above Instagram infographic from attorney Ben Crump is concise in what it has to say about the state of America today.
If Rittenhouse were Black, he would have been found guilty on ALL charges! #FACTS!
Kyle Rittenhouse, who fatally shot two people and injured another during protests last year in Kenosha, Wisconsin, was acquitted of all charges. He was found not guilty on all five counts of first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, first-degree attempted intentional homicide, and two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment.
In a two-week trial with expert testimony and eye-witness accounts, a 12-person jury ruled that Rittenhouse was innocent of the crimes he was accused of after 27 hours of deliberation.
Rittenhouse traveled across state lines with an AR-15-style rifle on a night of city-wide protests in Kenosha sparked by the police shooting of Jacob Blake, who was left paralyzed after an interaction with a police officer. He testified that he came to Kenosha to act as a medic to protect private property.
So let us get this straight: Rittenhouse, who was 17 years old, left whatever the backwater town he's from to go to Kenosha, Wisconsin to protect private property that is not his or his family's. Plus, he brought an assault rifle to do so. And folks think that line of reasoning is OK?
When he arrived at the chaotic scene, Rittenhouse shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber, and injured Gaige Grosskreutz. Rittenhouse "claimed" that he was fearful for his life during the trial. Rosenbaum, he said, had pursued him and was reaching for his rifle.
Yeah, if I saw some deranged teen walking around with an assault rifle and pointing it at folks—especially at me, I would probably run after him and lunge for the rifle to try to get it out of his hands so he doesn't hurt anyone—especially me.
But Rosenbaum wasn't so lucky. He got shot dead instead. And the same fate arrived Huber.
After news of the acquittal broke, in a statement, Huber's parents, Karen Bloom and John Huber said their son "would have his day in court" and that they were "heartbroken and angry" over Rittenhouse’s not guilty verdict.
We hope he does . For if he doesn't, it shows Americans that if you are an ally of Black people your life and worth will be discounted too.
"Today's verdict means there is no accountability for the person who murdered our son. It sends the unacceptable message that armed civilians can show up in any town, incite violence, and then use the danger they have created to justify shooting people in the street," said Huber's parents.
Huber's parents got their sentiment partially right. It shows the message that armed white civilians can show up in any town, incite violence, and then use the danger they have created to justify shooting people in the street. Because we Black folks know that if we were to show up to any town armed—whether for trouble or for peaceful means—we would be shot upon arrival—and that is a plain FACT.
Mark Richards, Rittenhouse’s attorney stated that his client had a huge sense of relief for what the jury did for him today. "He wishes none of this would have ever happened, but, as he said when he testified, he did not start this. To say that we're relieved would be a gross misunderstatement,” added Richards.
He did not start this?!! What?!!! This white boy was looking for trouble. I do not know any person, whether old or young—of any race, who would leave their hometown with an assault rifle, travel across state lines to a place where he knew no one and not be looking to start something. If he wanted to not start anything, he should have stayed his crazy self home or at the very least not brought a weapon with him to the protest.
President Joe Biden released a statement that said the verdict "will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included," but that "we must acknowledge that the jury has spoken."
Damn right, we're pissed—but really Joe? Your statement comes off as a brush off to our people. Yes, we get that the jury has spoken but that doesn't mean that the verdict wasn't biased or right and we have to acknowledge that.
