Men shot by Rittenhouse can be described as 'rioters' and 'looters' but not 'victims,' judge rules

[Poiuyt]

Kyle Rittenhouse’s lawyers can refer to the men he shot as “rioters” and “looters,” but prosecutors still may not call them “victims” at any time during the teen’s upcoming murder trial, a judge ruled Monday.

Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder cautioned the defense team against using pejorative terms during opening statements, but he said they could use them in their closing arguments if the evidence suggested the men engaged in criminal acts.

--snip--

“The word victim is a loaded, loaded word,” Schroeder said.

The ruling — among the last issued by Schroeder before jury selection begins Nov. 1 — clearly frustrated prosecutors, who suggested the judge was creating a double standard by allowing Rosenbaum and Huber to be disparaged when they could not defend themselves.

“The terms that I’m identifying here such as rioter, looter and arsonist are as loaded, if not more loaded, than the term victim,” Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger said.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/rittenhouse-back-court-today-prosecutors-125700152.html

I guess we know who the judge is going to favor.

[Walleye]

1. I hope this isn't another nazi-loving judge

[Celerity]

15. here he is possibly making the white power sign

[RAB910]

25. I would bet my life saving this scumbag judge

is an anti-American trump lover


https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/appeals-court-overturns-public-shaming-sentence-of-kenosha-county-judge-in-local-retail-theft-case/article_319956df-ffd3-5f16-995c-21e8178a8d2c.html

[aeromanKC]

2. Mistrial

This has mistrial written all over it.

[angrychair]

3. Agreed

No doubt.

[mahina]

14. My immediate response as well

I hope you’re right

[LisaL]

21. If he is found not guilty, double jeopardy will apply.

He will not be tried again.

[lagomorph777]

29. Yup. And impeachment written all over that judge.

[yonder]

4. With that tone, Rittenhouse will be called a volunteer medic but not a murderer.

[RockRaven]

5. The fix is in...

[sakabatou]

6. Yeah,The judge is definitely impartial!

[dalton99a]

7. Same asshole judge who refused to issue arrest warrant

On February 11, 2021, Judge Schroeder denied two requests by prosecutors to issue an arrest warrant and raise the bail of Kyle Rittenhouse, who is accused of shooting three men during a police brutality protest in the summer of 2020. Two of the men died. Rittenhouse moved for safety reasons without properly notifying prosecutors.

"Most people out on bond, we don't know where they are," Schroeder said. "To issue a warrant now for a defendant who has appeared at every hearing, that would be breaking the law, and I'm not going to do it."

[GoCubsGo]

42. Judge Schroeder...

I wonder if he's related to Ricky Schroeder--who just so happened to help post Rittenhouse's bail money.

[niyad]

48. Hmmmmmm

[LetMyPeopleVote]

53. Asking for a legal opinion here: at what point does the rise to mistrial level weirdness?

Link to tweet

[WHITT]

8. Wow

Just Wow.

[orleans]

9. "The word victim is a loaded, loaded word," Schroeder said.

what an absolutely horrible person!

[cstanleytech]

13. Well, horrible judge at the very least.

[ColinC]

16. And most likely, person

[SunSeeker]

10. OMFG. That judge is horrible.

And so wrong.

[Journeyman]

11. So call them "the target" . . .

[ColinC]

17. That's brilliant

[cstanleytech]

12. The judge made a bad ruling x2. nt

[Skittles]

18. even if they were rioters and looters

HE IS A MURDERER

[lagomorph777]

31. Most likely they were not.

The rioters and looters during that summer mostly turned out to be right-wing false-flag agitators.

[Skittles]

43. I was merely pointing out that it doesn't matter what they were

HE IS WORSE

[Tomconroy]

19. Not using the word 'victim' in a criminal trial is pretty standard.

Its use implies that there was a crime committed, which is the state's obligation to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. The presumption of innocence applies in a courtroom. Outside the courtroom everyone can express an opinion.

[CincyDem]

20. But the dead are assumed guilty of rioting snd looting. Hmm...wonder why? n/t

[Tomconroy]

23. The judge only allowed those terms to be used in closing

arguments if, and only if, there was evidence to support those terms. No assumption is being made.

[uponit7771]

27. Rittenhouses lawyers will use them anyway and "apologize" 20 times afterwards

[Tomconroy]

34. If that were to happen there would be consequences.

As a criminal defense lawyer, you recognize your client may not be going home after a trial but, as a general rule, you want to.

[GoCubsGo]

51. They don't even need to do that.

Referring to them as "the targets of Mr. Rittenhouse's gunfire" and other iterations of this will get the point across just fine.

[ananda]

22. Whoa! How biased is that?

Sounds like a pre-determined verdict.

[Bettie]

24. The judge has already made the decision

he just needs to ensure that the jury makes the same one.

And people wonder why we worry about justice in this country.

[niyad]

28. Was this f'n asshole appointed, or elected?

[dalton99a]

37. Elected - unopposed

[niyad]

41. Disgusting.

[Dr. Strange]

47. Appointed first, then elected.

Schroeder was first appointed to the bench by Governor Anthony Earl (D) in 1983. Schroeder was elected to the seat in 1984.

https://ballotpedia.org/Bruce_Schroeder

[Baitball Blogger]

30. It comes down to, what was Rittenhouse's right to be there with a gun?

What was his legal responsibility? Did he act like a vigilante?

[lagomorph777]

32. He did not act like a vigilante.

He acted like a serial killer.

[Baitball Blogger]

33. +1

[uponit7771]

36. Rittenhouse ... DID NOT ... have right to be there with a gun in Wisconsin and in the process

... of Rittenhouse committing a felony (possession of the mass kill weapon) people were killed.

My understanding is RittenHouse can be tagged with those killings even if he didn't shoot them himself and he did.

[Poiuyt]

46. It's illegal for someone under the age of 18 to pocess a gun like that

but that charge is only a misdemeanor.

[Kid Berwyn]

35. "Rioter" and "Looter" are loaded terms.

Especially when the victims were peaceable, unarmed and posed no threat to the accused gunman.

[Dr. Strange]

38. Gaige Grosskreutz was armed.

The other two were unarmed.

[Kid Berwyn]

40. Thank you. NT

[niyad]

49. And then he lost an arm, or the use of it?

[Wingus Dingus]

39. This is a done deal, then.

[Johnny999r]

44. Bias

The two unarmed victims were conducting a peaceful and lawful protest when Rittenhouse decided to murder them when they apparently tried to disarm him. I hope there are witnesses to the first murder, the second murder happened when the brave victim attempted to take the assault rifle away from him to prevent others from being killed by the gun nut Rittenhouse. Unfortunately, the victim didn't succeed and was shot dead by the suspect. I wonder if the judge disallowed the prosecution from using the word "suspect" as well?

Clearly, this judge has an agenda and a background check of his decisions would probably show a pattern of bias.

This is what happens when right wing nationalist politicians allow anyone to carry concealed or openly exposed firearms. I'll bet many police officers, especially in the south, just assume occupants of a car they just pulled over are armed. I would if I were in their shoes. Many people believe by carrying a gun they are protected, what they don't realize is the element of surprise and chaos. It's either too late to respond or they can't handle the stress of shots being fired.

[Johnny999r]

45. Bias

The two unarmed victims were conducting a peaceful and lawful protest when Rittenhouse decided to murder them when they apparently tried to disarm him. I hope there are witnesses to the first murder, the second murder happened when the brave victim attempted to take the assault rifle away from him to prevent others from being killed by the gun nut Rittenhouse. Unfortunately, the victim didn't succeed and was shot dead by the suspect. I wonder if the judge disallowed the prosecution from using the word "suspect" as well?

Clearly, this judge has an agenda and a background check of his decisions would probably show a pattern of bias.

This is what happens when right wing nationalist politicians allow anyone to carry concealed or openly exposed firearms. I'll bet many police officers, especially in the south, just assume occupants of a car they just pulled over are armed. I would if I were in their shoes. Many people believe by carrying a gun they are protected, what they don't realize is the element of surprise and chaos. It's either too late to respond or they can't handle the stress of shots being fired.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

50. This judge is a racist and needs to be replaced

Link to tweet

[LetMyPeopleVote]

52. This judge is upset at his press coverage

This judge is making bad rulings and is upset that people disagree with these bad rulings

Link to tweet