Democrats, activists denounce not guilty verdict in Rittenhouse case

One of the families of the two men killed and some Democrats and activists on Friday denounced Kyle Rittenhouse’s not guilty verdict, saying it highlights the systemic racism in the country’s judicial system.

Driving the news: Rittenhouse was found not guilty on all five counts in the deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber during racial justice protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 2020.

What they’re saying: “We are heartbroken and angry that Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted in his criminal trial for the murder of our son Anthony Huber. There was no justice today for Anthony, or for Mr. Rittenhouse’s other victims, Joseph Rosenbaum and Gaige Grosskreutz,” said Karen Bloom and John Huber, per CNN.

• “Today’s verdict means there is no accountability for the person who murdered our son. It sends the unacceptable message that armed civilians can show up in any town, incite violence, and then use the danger they have created to justify shooting people in the street.”
• “No reasonable person viewing all of the evidence could conclude that Mr. Rittenhouse acted in self-defense … Mr. Rittenhouse came to Kenosha armed to kill. Kenosha police encouraged him to act violently, and our son is dead as a result.”

“Over the last few weeks, many dreaded the outcome we just witnessed,” said Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who is Black and a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.

• “The presumption of innocence until proven guilty is what we should expect from our judicial system, but that standard is not always applied equally.”
• “We have seen so many black and brown youth killed, only to be put on trial posthumously, while the innocence of Kyle Rittenhouse was virtually demanded by the judge.”

The justice system’s decision is “unconscionable,” Congressional Black Caucus chair Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) said in a statement. “The ludicrous claim of self-defense is on par with the abhorrent behavior displayed by the prosecution and the judge.”

• “It is time for criminal justice reform, and it is beyond time for gun reform,” she added. “While today is filled with disappointment, we must continue to champion justice and gun reform, and condemn vigilantism so this never happens again.”

“You know damn well that if Kyle Rittenhouse were Black he would have been found guilty in a heartbeat — or shot dead by cops on the scene,” former Democratic presidential candidate and former Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro tweeted following the verdict.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) called the verdict “disgusting,” adding that “it sends a horrible message to this country.”

• “We can’t let this go. We need stronger laws to stop violent extremism from within our own nation.”
• “Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum are victims. They should be alive today. The only reason they’re not is because a violent, dangerous man chose to take a gun across state lines and start shooting people,” de Blasio added.

“Today’s acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse continues our nation’s legacy of defending white supremacist violence while stereotyping Black and Brown people as criminals,” Service Employees International Union International President Mary Kay Henry said in a statement.

• Henry said the verdict also showed white men still can skirt accountability for murder with dubious claims of self-defense.

Republicans praised the verdict. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said that “justice has been served in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial.”

• “I hope everyone can accept the verdict, remain peaceful, and let the community of Kenosha heal and rebuild,” Johnson added.
• “All of us who knew what actually happened in Kenosha last year assumed this would be the verdict. Thankfully, the jury thought the same,” tweeted Republican former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

“Justice is done when the truth is reached,” Rittenhouse’s defense attorney Mark Richards told reporters after the verdict. “It was a case about self-defense, the right to protect oneself … I don’t want to make it bigger than it is.”

Don’t forget: The Rittenhouse shooting came after the city of Kenosha erupted in violent protest following the release of a video showing Jacob Blake, a Black man, getting shot in the back by white police officer, Rusten Sheskey.

• The mid-sized Midwestern city saw angry demonstrators takes to the streets where some burned buildings and torched a car dealership.
• Blake, then 29, was left paralyzed.
• Amid a city-wide curfew, Rittenhouse and other militia members were allowed to roam freely in the city while people of color were harassed by police.
• Despite the national outcry, Sheskey did not face any charges.

Editor’s note: This story will continue to be updated as reaction comes in.