Much to the chagrin of some, an Illinois judge has delayed the extradition of 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse to Wisconsin to give him time to secure private legal representation. Rittenhouse allegedly shot three individuals, killing two and wounding one Tuesday night in Kenosha, Wisconsin while under attack during rioting.
The extradition hearing is now scheduled to take place on September 25th.
Waiting a few weeks will allow the public defender Rittenhouse has been assigned to hand the case over the Rittenhouse’s new legal team that will defend him against the array of charges including first degree intentional homicide, first degree reckless homicide and first degree attempted intentional homicide.
John Pierce and his Fight Back legal team (which includes Lin Wood — Nicholas Sandmann’s attorney — and Lawson Pedigo) have inked an agreement with Rittenhouse’s family to represent Rittenhouse who will almost surely be tried as an adult.
(1) Thanks to ALL Freedom Loving Americans who responded to requests for contact information on Kyle Rittenhouse. We have connected with Kyle’s family & help is on the way. Kyle will have excellent legal representation. We owe him a legal defense.
— Lin Wood (@LLinWood) August 27, 2020
John Pierce @CaliKidJMP has been engaged to defend Kyle Rittenhouse along with great local attorneys & public defenders. Please visit https://t.co/zmBVFJBOFd & consider donating. Foundation funds will be used for Kyle & in time, to defend others & to support conservative causes. https://t.co/haYQEXyDfx
— Lin Wood (@LLinWood) August 28, 2020
The AP has the story about the extradition.
A judge postponed a decision Friday on whether a 17-year-old should be returned to Wisconsin to face charges in the killing of two people on the streets of Kenosha during unrest following the police shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake.
The Illinois judge granted Kyle Rittenhouse’s request to delay the extradition hearing to Sept. 25 during a brief hearing that was streamed online. Rittenhouse did not appear.
Blake’s shooting — which left him paralyzed and was caught on cellphone video — sparked several nights of protests in Kenosha, making it the latest focal point in a reckoning over policing and racial injustice that has gripped the country since the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. The Wisconsin Senate will hold a special session Monday to address a package of police reform measures.
Video of both shootings shows that Rittenhouse was attacked and defended himself. If we allow mob justice against Rittenhouse, we’re all at risk of becoming victims of mob justice.