LIVE: Rittenhouse Trial Day 10: Closing Arguments
Once the jury goes into deliberations, we will go into VERDICT WATCH mode, so keep your eyes right here for breaking news and analysis of the final verdict(s) in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial.
Welcome back to our ongoing live coverage of the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse. Kyle is charged with a variety of felonies, including first-degree murder, for shooting three men, two fatally, as well as for alleged reckless conduct on the night of August 25, 2020, in riot-torn Kenosha WI.
Today the court will instruct the jury, explaining to them how to apply the law to the facts of the case as they determine those facts to have been proven or disproven. This will be followed by the State’s closing argument, the defense closing argument, and the State rebuttal. At that point, the jury will begin its deliberations. Once the jury goes into deliberations, we will go into VERDICT WATCH mode, so keep your eyes right here for breaking news and analysis of the final verdict(s) in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial.
You can find our commentary and analysis of from over this past weekend here:
Rittenhouse Analysis: State’s Weak Provocation Argument Is Still The Major Threat to Acquittal (Sunday (11/14/21)
Getting Jurors To Imagine “Provocation” In Blurry Photo And Video – Rittenhouse Prosecution Endgame (Saturday 11/13/21)
As usual, you can follow our live streaming of today’s court proceedings as well as our live, real-time commenting of courtroom testimony and argument as it occurs, right here.
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And don’t forget to join us this evening for our usual plain English legal analysis and commentary of the day’s proceedings, along with the courtroom video of it all.
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Know the law so you’re hard to convict.
Stay safe!
–Andrew
Attorney Andrew F. Branca
Law of Self Defense LLC
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Comments
So tired of Binger’s BS about a skateboard not being a deadly weapon. Here’s just one example with a simple web search. Pops right up.
https://abc7.com/starbucks-fight-santa-ana-man-dies-skateboard/1098183/
Also tired of Binger lying through his teeth about 5.56/.223 FMJ. What a jackass.
The defense should object. No one testified to ballistic differences in ammunition. Lawyers are supposed to be limited to ONLY arguing facts in evidence.
The instant somebody uses anything as a weapon, it becomes a weapon. Maybe Binger can tell us that a hammer wielded as a club, or a screwdriver wielded to stab, is not a weapon. Then again, Binger’s fellow Democrat Biden says a knife is not a weapon either.
This is one of the many reasons I’m not an attorney.
I would literally have a skate board and walk up to him saying “so – this isn’t dangerous if I smash it into your face is it ?”
I thought the whole point of ANTIFA using skateboards was that they are an article with an innocent purpose that can be easily converted to a deadly weapon.
That’s the reason the Hell’s Angels used to carry ball peen hammers tucked into their belts. Especially the ones with prison records. There are no laws against that anywhere.
And another
https://www.northcoastjournal.com/NewsBlog/archives/2021/05/05/man-found-guilty-in-skateboard-attack-death-of-good-samaritan
And yet another
https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20020413&slug=skateboard13m
This is so ridiculous. If Rittenhouse isn’t a free man by the end of today, injustice has been served.
Absent them going well past normal business hours, I’m really starting to doubt that the jury gets the case today. It will be interesting to see if they finish by tonight.
Is the judge glaring at the defense, like “fucking object!”?
Richards does not understand what he can object to. What a idiot. Has this guy ever won a criminal trial??
I miss the good old days, when there were witnesses that would sometimes get a chance to speak and interrupt Binger’s stream of dishonesty.
Everyone on that jury knows why those people were there and what they had been doing.
I’m sure the defense closing will cover that. Start and end with media coverage of the “mostly peaceful” burning of Kenosha.
I still laugh every time they say “4DoorsMoreWhores”.
I’m just upset that a 17 year old came up with that instead of me.
If Jump kick man is a hero, why hasn’t he come forward?
FULL METAL JACKET AMMO!!! so much worse than 1/2 metal jacket. I have seen 9mm go thru a car door — not FMJ.
Even stronger than Teenage Mutant Ninja Ammo.
Binger: “I don’t think that I would chase the guy with the gun and try to stop the active shooter… BUT I’M SURE THE DEAD WIFEBEATER WAS”
“don’t willingly put yourself in this situation unless you want it, want trouble.”
Couldn’t the same be said for your hero crowd, Binky?
Looks like Binky just blew his case against Dominick Black. In his closing arguments he admits the AR-15 was not legally KR’s. So, it was not a “straw purchase”. Can’t have it both ways dude.
Straw Purchase is a federal thing, not a state one. I made the same mistake before. His case against Black is “Providing a weapon to a minor resulting in death”, which is obviously different.
The other thing, I’m pretty sure it’s not a straw purchase if the purchaser keeps possession of the firearm. Otherwise there would be a lot of dads in jail for buying their 12 year old sons a .22 for their birthdays. On rekeita law, the called it holding it in trust.
Buying a firearm as a gift is viewed differently than party A giving party B money and instructions to buy a firearm that party A would not be allowed to buy.
Doesn’t matter if party A took possession or not, when party B answered yes on 4473 21:a, it becomes a straw purchase.
Perhaps, but if Dominick black kept possession of the rifle until Kyle turned 18 and then transferred it to him, I’m not seeing a real difference between buying a firearm as a gift. It might still be a straw purchase, but it still seems like buying your kid a rifle is essentially the same thing, i.e., purchasing a firearm for a person not permitted to do so. Does anyone know if black has been charged for a straw purchase?
Got it. Thanks guys.
Didn’t Binky spend a portion of his argument trying to claim that that night wasn’t violent and dangerous too?
Binger admits he put witnesses on the stand who he does not believe told the truth – Car Source owners.
Richard’s lack of DOING anything. Not even objecting or taking notes.. its infuriating.
I was a little bit annoyed that he didn’t check off something on his pad when Binger said “I wouldn’t have chased down the guy with the gun”… that seems like something that should be highlighted on Defense Closing.
Binger: I remember that night, I didn’t come down here, knew it would be violent and dangerous, most reasonable people were gone by then, don’t willingly put yourself in this situation unless you want it, want trouble.
Sad that Grosskreutz and Huber had not heard these Binger wisdom before and went out for trouble.
This man is insane, kind of like a Chinese fake Lincoln Project
It’s okay to be part of the mob, just don’t try to protect anyone or anything against the mob. Binger’s words to live by.
So because Binger is a coward who’d never risk putting his own life in danger to try and save his town from being burned down and looted and destroyed by rioters and other criminals, then Kyle must be a coward too? Bullsh*t.
Kyle was one of the few decent people on the streets that night, and Binger and other Kenosha residents should be grateful there were at least some who were willing to take that risk to defend the town, or the violence and destruction probably would have been a lot worse.
God he is dragging the crap out as long as he can.
Fake sob story.
It’s a pity that the prosecutor gets to lie and mislead unchecked. That’s one of many things wrong with the American criminal justice system. The play-acting and emotional appeals disgust me. Present the facts: who what when how and then let the jury decide whether it was legitimate self-defense or not.
In most court rooms, the defense would be objecting to the state arguing facts not in evidence and those objections would easily be sustained. Lawyers are not allowed to testify in summation. They’re only allowed to argue the facts admitted into evidence.
Binger might have had a few seeds of doubt in there, but he is destroying every single one of them by trying to paint Rosenbaum as a reasonable guy.
Binger keeps saying no threat…but has not used the word, provocation, since the beginning.
He’ll wait to use that in his rebuttal, when the defense doesn’t have the right to respond. It’s an idiotic argument, but it will be the last argument the jury hears.
Binger is currently at about 1h45 of his 2h30, minus a minute here or there for the few objections. Not leaving much time for his rebuttal.
(He had asked for 30 minutes specifically for rebuttal, so he’s not overbudget as yet).
Do you have the start/stop times?
I don’t… the way youtube handles streams, they only show me – x hours and y minutes until I actually go to that point in the stream.
Looks like Summation went from -2h41m to -2h08m, then started up again at -1h07m until now.
Is the gospel according to St. Binky the Wise almost over??
One thing I would make a big deal out of is why didn’t the prosecution present any testimony about KR pointing a weapon at Ziminski? Wouldn’t you want Ziminski to get on the stand and say he pointed a gun at me if it was true……
Ziminsky would plead the 5th. This is why Binger moved his case back, so he could keep Ziminsky from having to say anything on the stand.
Binger wants it to be legal to riot and burn down businesses and endanger lives, but a crime to go to a riot scene with a rifle, with the intent to protect lives and property. Rioters see anyone with a gun trying to protect against their destruction as provocation. After this prosecution, regardless of the outcome, why would anyone risk their life and freedom to try to protect anyone or anything against the mob? That’s the intent here. Conservatives always say, we have guns, we can protect ourselves against the mob. Until everyone with a gun that tries to protect against the mob is arrested and charged.
If Kyle found guilty, no longer advantageous to wait until conditions correct for self defense claim.
Does anyone know if Grosskreutz was immunized on his own weapon charge in exchange for his testimony? Did the defense ever broach that question, during pre-trial hearings if nothing else.
NO because the prosecutions whole case is that Grosskreutz was a hero. It is insanity.
He hasn’t been charged and he seems very chummy with the prosecution. I doubt a deal was struck, but a verbal agreement is likely.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Binger didn’t tell him and Huber’s dad to file their civil suit.
No one would know for sure except for the prosecutors, GG & counsel.
It can be extrapolated from the fact that GG hasn’t been charged and was a prosecution witness.
The liberals on the jury are basking in Bingers wokeness. Having multiple Obamagasms.
They showed the jury??? That’s impermissible.
If there is a silver lining to this $hot sammich it is to illustrate just the kind of thing you’ll face in a SD trial from a blue prosecutor. It will have very little to do with law or reason or common sense. It will be lies, smoke, mirrors, and appeals to emotion.
Evacuate the woke zones while you still can.
Bailiff looking at prosecutor is pure gold.
How long has he been talking altgether?
Too long now.
Binger is now heading in to the weeds.
Binger has now become Karnak the Magnificent. All he needs is a turban and envelope.
Is richard’s literally nodding off? I’m not even being sarcastic now.
I am cringing in fear that Richards is about to be Richards. I hope his close does not to more damage than help. The shorter the better? Please let him do a great job here. I am praying he will. Please Please Please/
Same fear.
Richards has been underwhelming in this case. Sort of odd, given the high profile. It’s like a football player not getting excited about going to the Super Bowl.
Binger keeps saying how Kyle knew the crowd was violent, antagonistic toward him and dangerous, yet keeps saying that there is no reason to have a gun. Seems like a pretty damn good reason to me! Heck, I carry in the grocery store and those are seldom filled with violent antagonistic people… okay, maybe Whole Foods.
The employees at Whole Foods are antagonistic and way overpaid!
I backed up the stream to check. 39 minutes before lunch, he started back up at 1:52 eastern time. 1:17 plus :39 equals 1:56. It looks like he will wrap up close to 2:00
Richards stated 2:08 total time. Judge wants to check it out, but was not keeping time.
His mother and father must be boiling over with disgust and fear
Binger’s too…
I dont know J Rosenbaum but I think if he heard Binger call him a rag doll he would punch his lights out.
And a dog
And then take his anger out on children
I thought there were several people there with guns?
Even a lousy baseball player hits an occasional Home Run. Please let this be Richards at bat. Binger has pitched a ball right down the middle of the plate. Hit it out now!
Binger said Kyle did not know this person or knew that person. Which one is it?
Well, Little Binger just wrapped up his closing argument. His argument was, on the surface, convincing. But only IF you had not heard any of the testimony, seen any exhibits other than what he selectively showed, you knew nothing about the law, and chose to disregard the instructions the judge just gave you this morning. No proble, right? Not if you are what Andrew has called an “interested juror”, one who is looking for a reason to vote for conviction. This is clearly who Binger was playing to, because also as our friend Andrew has stated, for Little Binger, a mistrial due to a hung jury is a win.
I am waiting for what I hope will be a great defense closing argument. But I hope even more that the judge rules favorably on Charafisi’s motion for a mistrial with prejudice.
It will go to the jury. The judge is almost home and nothing will stop him now. Xero chance.
So the dead guys were basically heroes for attempting to stop an active shooter but no, they definitely weren’t an ‘imminent threat’ to KR. So… how were they planning on stopping an ‘active shooter’??
“If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit”
– ADA Binger.
I never saw the newly discovered Salvador Dali masterpiece picture.
So – he’s pointing his gun at someone. With his finger on the trigger. Without checking if there is a round in the chamber.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FEQiFYpXMAAcSia?format=jpg&name=900×900
Reason for mistrial as far as I’m concerned. The prosecutor pointed the gun AT THE JURY with his finger in the trigger. Conscious or unconscious threat to them, doesn’t matter- it’s threatening the jury.
Pray, pray for Richards now. Now is the time.
Grosskreutz and Hubert called the police? Did they decide to neutralize the active shooter themselves?
Perhaps this should be raised by the defenders.
So Binger’s argument is that if Kyle is a young man of extraordinary courage and dedication to his community, he deviates from the “reasonable” man of the present day who lets his community burn?
On a detailed level, Kyle’s actions when immediate attacked fit legal self defense to a “T” But this theme of the prosecution of “looking for trouble” is so fundamentally unAmerican as to be sickening.
thejudge, in his lifetime, has NEVER learned to stop his “UMMMMMM” ?
Shot across the bow. Good.
Godspeed Mr. Richards…..
Please don’t screw this up
Dear God save this boy
I expect the live feed to die any time now. Can’t let facts get in the way of an agenda
Good that counsel is raising the point about provocation never being mentioned until the State’s case fell apart.
Richards seems to be coming off as angry at the jury. He should be careful with that.
He should be angry after a week of Binger bullshittery and that deceitful closing. He’s doing great.
It’s ok to show some emotion, but he’s coming off as angry AT the jury at certain points.
Eh, I’m not seeing it. I didn’t downvote you but I agree that in general you don’t want to come across like a jerk.
Why bring up the jail. We know JR was at the mental ward of a hospital. He can’t not the mental ward, but the hospital was established.
He’s saying, for the ones that dont know, “Use your brain, where was he.. might have been jail, might have been hospital, but he got out and wasn’t allowed to go back to his fiance’s house?”
I thought Richards is doing great. Direct, blunt, and to the point. Should be a short and sweet closing argument.
“Binger: Case is about self-defense but a high bar, can use deadly force only if defendant reasonably believed force necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm. Did Rosenbaum pose that? No way. ”
Maybe Binger should try to prosecute the cop who shot Michael Brown when Brown tried to grab his sidearm, as the cop’s life was not in danger (by Binger’s standards). And, even if Rosenbaum had been trying to take something that wasn’t a weapon by force, that’s robbery which is still a violent felony.
what is with Bingers goofy hair?
I wonder how many commenters carry a gun in public. I do, and that’s why I am paying so much attention.
Me too.
That’s what got me to watch the Zimmerman case. I have a CCW and I have followed suspicious people in my neighborhood to keep an eye on them too.
Our heavenly father is helping Richards.
Kyle is innocent but will end up in prison for decades because his defense attorney is terrible.
https://pjmedia.com/vodkapundit/2021/11/15/whoa-rittenhouse-prosecutor-thomas-binger-aims-ar-15-at-people-in-courtroom-finger-on-the-trigger-n1533105
Good Lord. Binger picked up an AR-15 and pointed it at the jury for effect.
No, he pointed it away from the jury, but this asshole has his finger is on the trigger and I didn’t see him ask if it was cleared like Richards did when he held the weapon pointed at no one.
There is a clear and ironic potential for a Baldwin event. Perhaps after the acquittal on all charges, he can enlist Rittenthouse to train him in the fine art, science, and legal way of handling a firearm.
From prosecutor: “when you bring a gun, you lose the right to self-defense” – when will Richards call him out on the lie?
So far so good!
Richards is hitting many of the points I was hoping for. Keep it up!!!
The states own witnesses have exonerated Kyle.
Hopefully the defense will put forth a brief, fact laden closing argument in stark contrast to the long-winded, desperate, pseudo-emotion laden, weak arguments put forth by the prosecution.
“That’s garbage, just like Mr. Binger’s case” Best line in the entire trial.
I’m pretty sure I saw at one point Binger said Kyle should have fired a warning shot…..this is the opposite of truth telling because that’s more reckless than firing at your target!
Kyle’s attorney finally shows up.
Richards really likes saying ‘havvock’. Is that a Wisconsin accent thing?
No, its not.
I like how defense is making this about the people involved.
Oooh Richards should be getting to Kyle’s testimony soon. Lez goo
Knockout Punch coming!
Lets Go Binger
Richards struggles with finishing sentences that require a page turn.
Lord give Richards power to defeat these immoderate democrats.
I take back all bad I said about the defense.
He gave Binger enough rope, now comes the hammer.
Me too.
James Armstrong, Hocus Pocus Out of Focus. Pretty good phrase.
Beat me to it. I’d been waiting for it. Hopefully it sticks with the jury.
It does.
Like TeeVee jingles.
“If the glove doesn’t fit you must aquit.”
There it is, the Johnny Cochran buzz phrase: “Hocus pocus, out of focus”
I was hoping that Rittenhouser’s counsel would call what Binger et al. have wrought as a “political prosecution,” and they have!!!
Richards is getting stronger by the second.
More prayers NOW!
is there any reasonable chance this “prosecutor” will face charges for his lies ?
Richards drops the ball. “If he’s just a regular demonstrator, what does he need a chain for?”
If he doesn’t specifically address it, , the first thing to go through a juror’s mind is going to be Binger’s “If he’s just a regular medic, what does he need the rifle for?”
Yeah, but anybody who has been in the armed forces wants their medics armed. Unfortunately, I don’t think the jury pool has any veterans in it.
I’m not drawing any conclusions as to the legitimacy of that thought. Clearly, Kyle needed the rifle because he needed to defend his life from people attacking him… just saying that Richards’ statement almost forces that thought to happen.
Absolutely. The only people who shouldn’t be armed are the chaplains. Even chaplain assistants are armed (primarily to protect the chaplains).
Riveting
Keep pounding the demons then knock em out!
Getting close to 4:30. Will the judge delay the rebuttal closing to tomorrow or just let it run over?
I was thinking the same. Richards should make sure he gives time for the rebuttal. Don’t want to give them overnight to craft their rebuttal.
Binger is melting. He is being overcome by the truth.
Normally the state will have a huge number of crime scene photos for a case like this. Odd that they don’t seem to have anything to present here.
Fractured Fairy Tales is in evidence!!!
Don’t stop keep it up pulverize them!
A “skateboard” becomes a wooden plank with attached thick metal struts when you swing it instead of skating on it.
If the pixels are a colorful manufacture, and the handmade tale is inconsistent, you must acquit.
I’m worried the court will break for the day and give Binger overnight to dream up his rebuttal. That would be a complete disgrace
I don’t think that will happen, but I could be wrong.
Judge hates working this late.
I don’t think it would be the worst thing. It would give the jury all night to think about what Richards argued.
He needs to shut up and sit down. Binger would love to have overnight. After a ten minute break, twenty minutes left in the business day, the judge will extend. Major strategic screw up.
Prolly will to try and defuses Richards incredible Close.
Walk off Home Run!
I thought Richards really did well after he settled in and relaxed a bit.
Why the fuck is PBS showing a pick of Rittenhouse wearing a mask? Dumb ass liberal bullshit
Surprised he didn’t remind the jury about the burden of proof at the end. Binger has his version, the defence has shown theirs. It’s not a question of whether you believe the defence – though you should. You need to ask whether Binger has come anywhere destroying the defence version. Binger must destroy it completely if you are to convict. It is abundantly clear that he has done no such thing. The defence case is completely consistent with all the evidence; Bingers is consistent with almost none of it.
I’m a bit suprised at that too. My last statement to the jury, had I been in Richard’s place, would be to remind them one last time of who has the burden of proof. Further, I’d have reminded them that if the evidence can be harmonized with the defendant’s version of the case, they must find in his favor.
Show the whole thing at full speed to show how fast it happened.
Richards is not the smooth talker that Little Binger is, but I think he did a much better closing argument than many thought he would. I think that to the rational juror, he made the case for acquittal on all counts.
But Binger isn’t talking to the rational juror. He is playing to the irrational and emotional juror(s) that may be listening with a pre-conceived notion of what they want to do to punish Kyle. Remember, all Binger needs is one, and months from now, with all the resources of the state behind him, he gets to go after Kyle all over again. I sincerely hope he fails today.