KENOSHA, WI – The assistant district attorney prosecuting the case involving Kyle Rittenhouse has recently demanded that not only Rittenhouse have his new address publicly available, but also that he be rearrested for reportedly not updating his address in a timely fashion while out on bond.
Prosecutor doubles down on demand that Kyle Rittenhouse reveal his address, post another $200,000 bail https://t.co/BdEhJgK4zc via @ProofHearsay
— Mary Spicuzza (@MSpicuzzaMJS) February 4, 2021
As many are likely familiar with this case, Rittenhouse is facing a series of charges, including first-degree murder, for the shooting deaths of two individuals and wounding a third during the riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin on August 25th.
Back in August of 2020, we at Law Enforcement Today brought a detailed breakdown of the then-known case evidence along with speculation on how the case could be interpreted through an examination of the charges and laws relevant to those charges, which can be read here.
But in the latest update regarding this case, Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger asked the courts on February 4th to have Rittenhouse rearrested, increase his bond amount by an additional $200K, and have his address properly updated and publicly available for anyone to find online.
In response to these demands brought forward by the prosecution, defense attorney Mark Richards stated that his client has been the subject of numerous death threats and that having his newest address available to the public would present a danger to Rittenhouse.
To compromise on the matter, Richards would instead prefer to offer the courts Rittenhouse’s updated address – so long as the address remains sealed from public access.
ADA Binger brought forth claims that when Rittenhouse failed to update his address within 48 hours of moving, that the failure to do so was a violation of Rittenhouse’s terms of pre-trial release after having posted bond.
This isn’t the first bond-related debacle to have ensued following Rittenhouse’s release from jail, as back in January the prosecution wanted to modify the terms of Rittenhouse’s release to include that he be not allowed to associate with known extremists and consume alcohol.
Judge sets bail hearing for Kyle Rittenhouse next week https://t.co/eyCjmUyTy1
— Jatashie Johnson (@jatashie) February 6, 2021
When ADA Binger addressed the defense’s concerns over Rittenhouse’s safety and using it as a means to justify leaving his originally provided address, he alleged said actions also placed the current resident at his prior address in “jeopardy”:
“In essence, he put someone else in jeopardy to protect his own skin.”
Further commenting on the alleged threats, ADA Binger also claimed that all Richards has brought forth in terms of evidence is an anonymous email sent to his law office describing what might happen to Rittenhouse if he were ever sent to prison:
“This is hardly a specific, tangible and imminent threat.”
Richards found this claim by the prosecution to be disingenuous, noting that the prosecution has had access to Rittenhouse’s social media accounts that were flooded with threats within hours of the Kenosha incident occurring.
Also, Richards claims that there’s, “at least thirty-six other known pieces/categories of evidence [that] have not been provided to the defense,” that illustrates threats against the now-18-year-old Rittenhouse.
However, ADA Binger is attempting to wield sentiments of there being a sort of responsibility to inform the public of exactly where Rittenhouse is due to concerns that maybe victims, family members of victims, or even witnesses could be unknowingly living next door to Rittenhouse:
“He is, after all, charged with murdering two people and severely injuring a third.”
One must keep in mind that this is coming from the same prosecution that objected to Rittenhouse having attained bail back in November of 2020 – solely due to the fact that much of the bail amount was achieved via donations amassed through crowdfunding.
It's hard to take the prosecution in this case seriously, when it's the same folks who wanted Rittenhouse's bail denied because it was amassed via crowdfunding – a bad faith attempt in the era of not only crowdfunding – but also literal NPO bail funds.
— Greg Hoyt (@GregHoytLET) February 6, 2021
The prosecution back in November of 2020 was trying to argue that since the funds didn’t come directly from the Rittenhouse family directly, then he shouldn’t have been allowed to walk free after having posted $2,000,000.
Obviously, that effort was unfruitful considering that in the era of not only crowdfunding, but also donation-based bail funds existing all over the country, it’s a bad faith argument for a prosecutor to suddenly demand that bail only be paid by the family of those accused of a crime.
Nonetheless, Rittenhouse’s next court appearance is slated for February 11th, where Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder will hear from the prosecution on their latest requests regarding the status of Rittenhouse’s pre-trial release.
Back in October of 2020, we at Law Enforcement Today shared a report on an aspect that could prove beneficial to Rittenhouse’s defense – in that there was an reportedly a gunshot fired from behind Rittenhouse on the evening of the incident before he ever allegedly opened fire on Joseph Rosenbaum.
Here’s that previous report.
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KENOSHA, WI – It has been widely reported that 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse is facing multiple felony charges, including first-degree intentional murder, in the shootings of three men during a Black Lives Matter riot.
What makes the charges against him sensational is that all the video evidence (which was readily available to the public almost immediately) indicates every shot he fired was in self-defense.
And now his attorneys are using one man’s confession to drive home Rittenhouse’s claim of self-defense, calling a shot fired prior to the teenager’s own a “pivotal moment.”
Man charged with firing handgun just before alleged Kyle Rittenhouse shootings https://t.co/Njm6eaowqS pic.twitter.com/ytJPUk59Vd
— New York Post (@nypost) October 14, 2020
All three men who were shot were convicted felons. One of the two men killed, Joseph Rosenbaum, was a registered sex offender and the other, Anthony Huber, was a domestic abuser who did time in prison for trying to strangle someone.
Gaige Grosskreutz, the “protestor” who was wounded, was a convicted felon and had a firearm, but to our knowledge, he has not faced charges for his role in the events of that night.
Never mind the fact that he was a felon in possession of a firearm.
While it is true that authorities in Illinois are not pursuing charges in their state, Rittenhouse still faces Wisconsin charges of first-degree intentional homicide in the two killings and attempted intentional homicide in the wounding.
He also faces a misdemeanor charge of underage firearm possession.
Now, according to the New York Post, Rittenhouse attorney Lin Wood called a gun fired allegedly as a warning by Joshua Ziminski a “pivotal moment” that left the teen fearing he had “no way out” as he was chased by protesters with “no way to know who fired that shot.”
Rittenhouse’s attorneys are claiming that he acted in self-defense.
According to the Post:
“A man has admitted being first to open fire at the Kenosha protests in the moments before accused teen gunman Kyle Rittenhouse allegedly shot and killed two people and seriously injured another, according to court documents.
“Joshua Ziminski, 35, and his wife ‘both admitted’ to detectives that he ‘fired off a warning shot into the air’ during the Aug. 25 protests in Wisconsin, according to a criminal complaint obtained by The Post.
“Ziminski was booked last Wednesday on charges of disorderly conduct and use of a dangerous weapon, online court records show.”
According to reports, Ziminski was unable to produce that gun, claiming it had been stolen from his home.
He entered a not-guilty plea at a hearing last Friday, and was released later that day on $1,000 cash bond. He has been barred from having any weapons. He has also been warned not to discuss the case with his wife.
A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Dec. 4.
A photo of Ziminski shown in the Post article, taken on the night of the shooting, appears to show him standing behind Rosenbaum, the first man allegedly killed by Rittenhouse, as he chased the teen down the street.
Is it possible that Rittenhouse heard Ziminski’s shot, assumed that it was actually Rosenbaum shooting at him, and turned to defend himself, shooting and killing Rosenbaum?
As reported by the Post:
“On-the-scene reporter Richie McGinniss has also said the sound of the shot was the moment Rittenhouse ‘went from running away to aiming his weapon’ in what the teen’s attorneys insist was self-defense.”
Rittenhouse’s legal team is currently contesting extradition from Illinois to Wisconsin.
According to Chicago’s CBS affiliate:
“His attorneys have filed a petition arguing extradition would violate his constitutional rights, claiming video of the shooting clearly shows he was acting in self-defense, and that he would be in danger if he were held in an adult jail.
“They also argued Wisconsin prosecutors and Illinois authorities didn’t follow legal technicalities required for extradition. Angelina Gabriele, Kenosha County’s deputy district attorney, said Friday the county’s documents ‘are in compliance with all legal requirements and their other claims do not have any legal merit.’”
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