Illinois teen charged in Wisconsin protest slayings posts $2 million bail

Kyle Rittenhouse, who has been charged with fatally shooting two men and injuring a third during protests in Kenosha, has posted a $2 million bail. Photo / AP

A 17-year-old from Illinois who is charged with killing two people during a protest in Wisconsin and whose case has become a rallying cry for some conservatives posted $2 million bail Friday (Saturday NZT) and was released from custody.

Kyle Rittenhouse is accused of fatally shooting Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and wounding Gaige Grosskreutz during a demonstration August 25 that followed the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha. He posted bond through his attorney, Kenosha County Sheriff's Sargeant David Wright said.

Rittenhouse, of Antioch, Illinois, told police he was attacked while guarding a business and he fired in self-defence.

He faces multiple charges, including intentional homicide, reckless endangerment and being a minor in possession of a firearm. Wisconsin law doesn't permit minors to carry or possess a gun unless they're hunting. He is due back in court on December 3 for a preliminary hearing.

I wanted to just stay offline today, but the news that they right raised $2 million dollars for Kyle Rittenhouse is just too much. He’s walking free right now, because they raised $2,000,000 to free him.
Because that’s their priority.
Because that’s who they are.

— Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) November 20, 2020

His case has taken on political overtones.

Supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement have painted Rittenhouse as a trigger-happy white supremacist. Conservatives upset over property destruction during recent protests have portrayed him as a patriot exercising his right to bear arms during unrest. A legal defence fund for him has attracted millions of dollars in donations, and his mother got a standing ovation from women at a Waukesha County GOP function in September.

Huber's father, John Huber, asked Kenosha County Circuit Court Commissioner Loren Keating during a hearing November 2 to set Rittenhouse's bail between $4m and $10m. Huber said Rittenhouse thinks he's above the law and noted the effort to raise money on his behalf. He also suggested militia groups would hide him from police if he were released.

Rittenhouse's attorney, Mark Richards, asked for $750,000 bail.

Keating ultimately set bail at $2m, saying Rittenhouse was a flight risk given the seriousness of charges against him.

How did he post $2 million dollar bond?

I hope journalists investigates that.

Kenosha murder suspect Kyle Rittenhouse posts $2 million bond, no longer in custody https://t.co/McnWQ9rzcD via @YahooNews

— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) November 20, 2020