Judge rules men shot by Rittenhouse can be described as 'rioters' and 'looters'
A judge ruled on Monday that lawyers for Kyle Rittenhouse could refer to the men he allegedly shot as “rioters” and “looters,” but that prosecutors were not allowed to call them "victims."
Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder warned Rittenhouse's defense against using the terms in opening statements, but said they could be used to describe the men in closing arguments if there was evidence to suggest they were engaging in criminal activity,
The Chicago Tribune reported.
“He can demonize them if he wants, if he thinks it will win points with the jury,” Schroeder said, according to the Tribune.
Schroeder had earlier ruled that the men could not be referred to as victims, because doing so would be prejudicial to Rittenhouse. The Tribune noted that these sorts of rulings are not uncommon in self-defense cases.
“The word victim is a loaded, loaded word,” the judge said.
Prosecutors were frustrated by Schroeder's decision, arguing that he was creating a double standard by allowing Rittenhouse's attorneys to disparage the men he allegedly killed, while not allowing them to be defended.
“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, the Tribune reported.
A judge ruled Monday that lawyers for Kyle Rittenhouse could refer to the men he is charged with shooting as “rioters” and “looters,” but that prosecutors were not allowed to call them “…
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