The judgment of Kyle Rittenhouse, the teenager accused of killing two people during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, over the summer has been delayed until Nov. 1. The trial was originally scheduled to begin on March 29.
On Wednesday, in a virtual court hearing, prosecutors and Rittenhouse’s lawyer agreed to delay the start of the trial to give them more time to prepare.
“There are a number of outstanding issues related to the discovery, DNA testing and some other issues that need to be considered. There is also some logistics as to the eventual jury that needs to be eliminated,” he said. Kenosha District Attorney Thomas Binger.
“It will also give us time to make sure all the witnesses will be available and all the lawyers will be available. Things like that,” he added.
Rittenhouse’s lawyer, Mark Richards, agreed to postpone the trial and Rittenhouse stated he had no objection, although the delay would delay the start of the trial more than a year after he was charged. Rittenhouse is currently out of warranty.
County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder agreed to adjourn the trial and set a pre-trial final hearing for May 17 to confirm that the trial is still under way by the November start date.
Rittenhouse, 18, is charged with shooting and killing Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber with an AR-style rifle in an August 25 protest sparked by police filming of Jacob Blake, a black man who was paralyzed. Rittenhouse is also accused of injuring Gaige Grosskreutz.
Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one counts of attempted murder. He also faces charges of reckless danger and possession of a weapon when he was under 18 years of age.
Rittenhouse has pleaded guilty to all charges.