Judge Sets Multi-Million Dollar Bail for Kyle Rittenhouse

In this image taken from video, Kyle Rittenhosue appears during his initial court appearance in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Nov. 2, 2020. (Kenosha County Court via AP)

By The Associated Press

Published November 2, 2020 at 1:48pm

Bail was set at $2 million on Monday for a 17-year-old from Illinois accused of killing two men during an August protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Kyle Rittenhouse, of Antioch, Illinois, is charged with fatally shooting Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber during a protest over a police shooting in August. He is also charged with wounding a third man, Gaige Grosskreutz.

Rittenhouse turned himself in to police in Antioch the morning after the Aug. 25 shootings.

He was extradited to Wisconsin on Friday and made his initial court appearance in Kenosha County on Monday afternoon.

In addition to the homicide charges, Rittenhouse faces counts of attempted homicide, reckless endangerment and being a minor in possession of a firearm.

His attorney, Mark Richards, asked Court Commissioner Loren Keating to set bail at $750,000 and place Rittenhouse on electronic monitoring, arguing that rioters had attacked the teen that night and that Rittenhouse had fired in self-defense.

Richards also argued that Rittenhouse tried to turn himself in seconds after the shootings but officers ignored him.

Video showed Rittenhouse walk past police vehicles with an assault weapon slung over his shoulder and his hands in the air. Police later explained that they didn’t arrest him at the scene because it was chaotic.

Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger asked for $2 million bond, noting that Rittenhouse faces life in prison if convicted of the homicide charges, which makes him a flight risk.

“The defendant doesn’t want to be here and if released won’t come back,” Binger said.

A legal defense fund for Rittenhouse has raised millions of dollars in donations.

Keating allowed Huber’s father, John Huber, to speak during the video hearing. He asked the commissioner to set bail between $4 million and $10 million.

“Kyle Rittenhouse thinks he’s above the law,” Huber said. “He’s been treated as much by law enforcement. For him to run wouldn’t surprise me.”

Huber’s son hit Rittenhouse with a skateboard before Rittenhouse shot him.

“Self-defense, that’s impossible,” Huber said.

“He had already killed a guy and tried to run. My son was a hero. He tried to stop him. He was a hero. Anyone who says otherwise is dead wrong, including the president. How dare he.”

President Donald Trump has said Rittenhouse’s actions might have been warranted.

Grosskreutz’s attorney, Kimberley Motley, asked for $4 million bail, calling Rittenhouse’s behavior “inexcusable.”

Keating set bail at $2 million. He ordered Rittenhouse not to have any contact with the victims’ families or to possess any weapons if he’s released.

Rittenhouse attended the hearing via a video feed from jail and was wearing a dark blue jail jumpsuit. He spoke only to say that he understood the conditions of his release.

Poster Comment:

Grosskreutz posed on social media, "I should have killed that little SOB."

That is exculpatory evidence.