Kenosha Judge Rules Men Shot by Kyle Rittenhouse Cannot be Called ‘Victims,’ ‘Rioters’ and ‘Looters’ are Okay

Kyle Rittenhouse pleaded not guilty regarding shooting two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin and as the trial is set to begin, the judge in the case had made an “interesting” decision before the trial begins.  

Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder doesn’t believe the word “victims” should be used by prosecutors to describe the people that Rittenhouse shot, but “rioters,” “looters” and “arsonists” are okay to be used by defense attorneys.  

During Kenosha protests, a then 17-year-old Rittenhouse traveled across stateliness from his home in Illinois with an AR-15-style rifle. On Aug. 25, 2020, Rittenhouse responded to a militia styled group in Kenosha that wanted to protect businesses from protesters.  

The protest occurred after the death of Jacob Blake, a Black man killed by a white police officer, Rusten Sheskey.  

Rittenhouse is on trial for fatally shooting Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26. Rittenhouse shot and wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, 27.  

“The word ‘victim’ is a loaded, loaded word. And I think ‘alleged victim’ is a cousin to it,” Schroeder said on Monday, adding that the prosecutors use words like “complaining witness” or decedent,” according to reports.  

“Let the evidence show what the evidence shows, that any or one of these people were engaged in arson, rioting or looting, then I’m not going to tell the defense they can’t call them that,” Schroeder said at the pretrial hearing.  

According to CNN, “Schroeder has had a longstanding rule of not allowing prosecutors to refer to people as ‘victims’ at trial.”