Kyle Rittenhouse enters the Kenosha County Courthouse during his trial on November 9, 2021 in Kenosha. Mark Hertzberg/Pool via Getty Images
On Tuesday, Kyle Rittenhouse's homicide case was dismissed by the prosecution.
Many of the witnesses called gave statements supporting Rittenhouse's claim for self-defense.
Gaige Grosskreutz was the only survivor of the shooting and even admitted that he pointed his gun at a teen.
After presenting over 20 witnesses in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, the prosecution gave up Tuesday. Many of these witnesses made statements supporting the defense's case for self-defense.
Rittenhouse claimed that he shot three men in Kenosha on August 25, 2020 after they pursued each other on the streets. Rittenhouse has been charged with shooting Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum, as well as injuring Gaige Grosskreutz during the night's protests against Jacob Blake's police shooting.
The majority of charges are based on whether Rittenhouse, then 17, reasonably feared his life when he pulled the trigger. Many witnesses to the state, including the sole survivor, claim Rittenhouse did not pull the trigger until the men approached him and made threatening movements.
According to Richie McGinniss (a videographer who was only feet behind Rittenhouse), the 36-year-old Rosenbaum was the first man Rittenhouse shot. He chased Rittenhouse in the lot of a car dealership, and lunged at Rittenhouse's AR-15 rifle.
Rosenbaum's behavior that night was described by many witnesses to the prosecution in vivid terms. Ryan Balch said that Rosenbaum was aggressive and aggreved, and was also one of the civilians who guarded local businesses along with Rittenhouse that night. Kenosha livestreamer Koerri Washinton testified that Rosenbaum was acting "erratically." Jason Lackowski, another civilian with arms, called Rosenbaum a "babbling idiot."
Kariann Swart (Rosenberg's fiancee) testified that she had advised Rosenbaum not go downtown on that night due to civil unrest. Kariann Swart also spoke out about Rosenbaum's bipolar disorder medications.
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Prosecutors asked witnesses repeatedly if they had ever seen Rosenbaum hit, punch, kick or kick another person or carry or use weapons. All state witnesses agreed that Rosenbaum had never been seen hitting, punching or kicking another person.
One witness was able to testify that Rosenbaum reached for Rittenhouse’s gun.
Balch and Lackowski claimed that Rosenbaum tried to set fires and was being held down by others. Rosenbaum also used the N-word and shouted at armed men to "shoot him!" Balch claimed that Rosenbaum threatened Rittenhouse and Balch, warning them, "I'm going to fucking murder you if I catch any of you guys tonight."
McGinniss was the video director at conservative news site The Daily Caller. He testified that he saw Rosenbaum chase Rittenhouse that night. McGinniss also demonstrated Rosenbaum's movements. He testified that Rosenbaum took a "low" and an "athletic" posture, then reached for Rittenhouse's gun barrel.
McGinniss stated that it was clear that he was reaching for the weapon because his hands were there. "The rifle was lower that where Rosenbaum's hands were, so Rosenbaum's hands were going down... Kyle Rittenhouse dodged it and leveled the weapon before firing."
Richard "Richie" McGinniss is chief video director at The Daily Caller. He shows how Joseph Rosenbaum fell to the ground during testimony at Kyle Rittenhouse’s trial at Kenosha County Courthouse, Kenosha, Wis. on Thursday, November 4, 2021. Sean Krajacic/The Kenosha News via Associated Press
Dr. Douglas Kelley was a forensic pathologist that examined Rosenbaum's body and testified that Rosenbaum had been shot four times from a distance of four feet. Kelley stated that the first shot went into Rosenbaum’s groin, hand and thigh as he was facing forward. The second shot went into Rosenbaum’s head at a downward angle while he turned horizontally towards Rittenhouse.
Prosecutors claimed that Rosenbaum was falling as he was being shot. Rittenhouse's lawyers argued that the angles of the shots indicated that Rosenbaum was lunging towards Rittenhouse. Kelley stated that both scenarios were possible.
Grosskreutz also agreed that he pointed his gun at Rittenhouse
Huber, 26, was the second man Rittenhouse shot. He was captured on video riding a skateboard at Rittenhouse just after the Rosenbaum shooting. Rittenhouse was chased down Sheridan Road by a group of people. Rittenhouse fell to the ground, then aimed his rifle at those men.
Grosskreutz was the only man to survive being shot that night. He is an EMT and paramedic, who was volunteering in Kenosha and streaming live. He said that he ran towards Rittenhouse who was still on the ground and he noticed two men approaching Rittenhouse first. One of them was Huber.
Grosskreutz referred to Huber, saying that he had seen Huber use a skateboard to strike the defendant. "From there, I heard a second shot."
Grosskreutz said that he believed he was following an active shooter. Grosskreutz said Rittenhouse made confused comments as he ran past him, and then he saw a group running behind Rittenhouse shouting that Rittenhouse had just shot someone.
Grosskreutz claimed that he pulled his pistol from the holster hidden at his small back and then ran towards Rittenhouse. Grosskreutz is seen approaching Rittenhouse, taking a moment to raise his hands in the air before he moves forward with the pistol in his hand. Photos and videos show this. Rittenhouse opened fire and blew Grosskreutz's bicep.
Gaige Grosskreutz can be seen holding a gun in his right arm and clashing with Kyle Rittenhouse, Kenosha (Wisconsin), on August 25, 2020. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Grosskreutz stated that he never tried to kill Rittenhouse and that he ran forward believing Rittenhouse was "reracking" his weapon, refusing Grosskreutz's surrender.
Grosskreutz, upon cross-examination, agreed that Rittenhouse's gun was pointed at him.
"It was only when you pointed your gun at him and advanced with your gun on him - now your arms down, pointed at his face - that he fired," correct? Corey Chirafisi, Rittenhouse attorney, said.
"Correct," Grosskreutz said.
Insider has the original article.
