How to get away with Murder in our Society
Kyle Rittenhouse appears in court for a motion hearing in Kenosha, Wis., on Sept. 17, 2021.
On August 25, 2020, Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old from Antioch, Illinois, fatally shot two men and wounded another in Kenosha, Wisconsin. During a peaceful protest that followed the shooting of a black man, Jacob Blake, by a white police officer.
Many people were outraged by his verdict. It showed how much people can get away with anything if they have money. Rittenhouse claimed that “he fired in self-defense after the men attacked him. But there is actual video footage of a peaceful protest and multiple witnesses.
Wisconsin places a limit on the right to self-defense. Rittenhouse brought an AR-15-style rifle loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition to a volatile situation, and he used it to kill two people. Wisconsin is a “shall issue” state for citizens and lawful permanent residents 21 years or older. Wisconsin state law 948.60(2)(a) states: “Any person under 18 years of age who possesses or goes armed with a dangerous weapon is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.” However, the exceptions are: “a person under 18 possesses a rifle or shotgun” and “when the dangerous weapon is being used in target practice under the supervision of an adult or a course of instruction in the traditional and proper use of the dangerous weapon under the supervision of an adult.”
Anestia Smith(12) shares, “It feels racially motivated and not actual justice has been served and how was it not appropriate for him to have consequences for his actions and started crying as a form of manipulation.”
Neelah Hillery (12) says that “The verdict was unfair to the families that lost loved ones, and the justice system is paved out for young white men.”
There is no reason for anyone to kill two people and get away without any consequences in this day and age. Moreover, Rittenhouse provoked the attacks on him by openly carrying his weapon threateningly. If the jury had found either of these things faithful, it would have defeated the self-defense claim. But there was also evidence, including videos of the events in question and the testimony of Rittenhouse himself — that in the critical moments right before he pulled the trigger, Rittenhouse acted in response to imminent threats to his safety because he believed he was in danger.
After a two-week trial, the jury acquitted Mr. Rittenhouse on five felony counts, including homicide and attempted homicide, in connection with the shootings in August 2020 as Kenosha was settled with unrest over the police shooting of a Black man. Mr. Rittenhouse shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and injured Gaige Grosskreutz, 26, at the time. Mr. Rittenhouse took the stand to testify that he acted to protect himself.
Overall the effect of this trial can cause young men to think it is okay for them to play vigilante. Rittenhouse is innocent in the eyes of the law, but the fact remains: Had he not gone to Kenosha, the two people he killed would be alive today. Unfortunately, at the age of 17, he could quickly get his hands on such a specific weapon in our society.
Elyria is a senior, and this is her second year of journalism. Her goal for senior year is to graduate with a higher GPA. After high school, she'd like...
