At the Rittenhouse trial

Over the weekend, John wrote about the prosecution of Kyle Rittenhouse. The prosecution’s case didn’t seem to be going well, in part because one of its witnesses gave important testimony that favored the defendant.

That trend continued today with the testimony of Gaige Grosskreutz, one of the people Rittenhouse shot. On cross-examination, Grosskreutz admitted that Rittenhouse shot him only after he (Grosskreutz) pointed a gun at the defendant in close proximity to his head. (See video below starting around the 8 minute mark.)

Grosskreutz, who admitted he ran at Rittenhouse who was on the ground, agreed that when he had his hands in the air, Rittenhouse took no action to defend himself. Only when Grosskreutz lowered his hands and pointed the gun at Rittenhouse did the defendant shoot.

I’m no criminal lawyer, but that sounds to me like self defense, with regard to the shooting of Grosskreutz.

Grosskreutz testified that he did not draw the gun “with the express intent of using it” but rather to be “ready” if he felt that was necessary. Maybe, maybe not.

But Rittenhouse had no way of knowing Grosskreutz’s intentions. When someone points a gun at you in this kind of situation, where Grosskreutz ran at Rittenhouse in the midst of the chaos, I think you’re entitled to assume he’s going to use it, and to defend yourself accordingly.

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