Agree with Matthew Espenshade that Rittenhouse acted in self-defense. Hans Rosenschwein wrote a great analysis that rings true to me:
"The standard for legal use of deadly force in self defense (outside your own home) is that you are in reasonable fear of imminent death or serious bodily injury that you can’t escape.
In the case of both Huber and Grosskreutz, Rittenhouse wasn’t coming after them with a weapon, they were coming after him. They saw he had a weapon in his hand and they may have correctly believed he had already used it to shoot someone. But they weren’t in imminent danger. He wasn’t randomly or wildly shooting up the street. They can’t legitimately claim fear of imminent danger to themselves when they had the option to turn around and run in the opposite direction. And that’s what most people on the street did.
From Rittenhouse’s position he had no such escape route. He was on the ground half on his back with multiple people running at him screaming “kill him”, trying to stomp his head, whacking his head with a skateboard and pointing a loaded gun in his face. He wasn’t on his feet in a position to run away. That is textbook self-defense.
Even with Rosenbaum, he was advancing on Rittenhouse trying to grab his gun and backing him into a cornered position. His one escape route was blocked by a guy who was shooting over his head (who has been charged in connection with this). And Rittenhouse had encountered Rosenbaum earlier in the day and Rosenbaum had screamed at him “If I fucking see you again I’ll fucking kill you.”
I have no dog in this fight. I don’t support Rittenhouse as a person. I’m looking at this as a lawyer and trying to dispassionately apply the law to the facts that came out through witnesses, video and physical evidence during the trial."
"The standard for legal use of deadly force in self defense (outside your own home) is that you are in reasonable fear of imminent death or serious bodily injury that you can’t escape.
In the case of both Huber and Grosskreutz, Rittenhouse wasn’t coming after them with a weapon, they were coming after him. They saw he had a weapon in his hand and they may have correctly believed he had already used it to shoot someone. But they weren’t in imminent danger. He wasn’t randomly or wildly shooting up the street. They can’t legitimately claim fear of imminent danger to themselves when they had the option to turn around and run in the opposite direction. And that’s what most people on the street did.
From Rittenhouse’s position he had no such escape route. He was on the ground half on his back with multiple people running at him screaming “kill him”, trying to stomp his head, whacking his head with a skateboard and pointing a loaded gun in his face. He wasn’t on his feet in a position to run away. That is textbook self-defense.
Even with Rosenbaum, he was advancing on Rittenhouse trying to grab his gun and backing him into a cornered position. His one escape route was blocked by a guy who was shooting over his head (who has been charged in connection with this). And Rittenhouse had encountered Rosenbaum earlier in the day and Rosenbaum had screamed at him “If I fucking see you again I’ll fucking kill you.”
I have no dog in this fight. I don’t support Rittenhouse as a person. I’m looking at this as a lawyer and trying to dispassionately apply the law to the facts that came out through witnesses, video and physical evidence during the trial."