While jury selection got underway on Monday in the trial of 18-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, a small group of people demonstrated on the steps of the Kenosha County courthouse. Rittenhouse is accused of fatally shooting Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber last August amid protests following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, Jr. during a domestic violence call. Another demonstrator, Gaige Grosskreutz, was wounded by Rittenhouse.
About 20 people turned out in support for Rittenhouse’s victims and their families on Monday morning. Tavis Grant of the Rainbow Push Coalition of Chicago was among them.
“Our challenge today is to raise the lives and names of these victims and to make sure they get the justice they deserve. This is a murder trial.”
Another person at the gathering was Justin Blake, Jacob Blake Jr.'s uncle. Blake said Rosenbaum, Huber, and Grosskreutz were shot by Rittenhouse while expressing their outrage over the police shooting of Jacob Blake Jr.
“They were out peacefully protesting a rally and were gunned down. They were merely young people trying to use their First Amendment right to go support Jacob Blake [Jr.].”
Rittenhouse’s legal team will argue the now-18-year-old acted in self-defense. Justin Blake said he’ll be at the courthouse every day of the trial.
Also on the steps of the courthouse was a woman who appeared to be a supporter of Rittenhouse. She carried an American flag along with a sign calling for the arrests of Gov. Tony Evers, Jacob Blake Jr., and Gaige Grosskreutz.
