, ,

Rittenhouse lawyers’ trial playbook: Don’t ‘crusade,’ defend

Rittenhouse was found not guilty in connection with Kenosha shooting

By
Mark Richards, Kyle Rittenhouse's lead attorney, gives his closing argument
Mark Richards, Kyle Rittenhouse’s lead attorney, gives his closing argument during Rittenhouse’s trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., on Monday, Nov. 15, 2021. Sean Krajacic/The Kenosha News via AP

An attorney for Kyle Rittenhouse said after his client’s acquittal that he was determined to steer away from the most polarizing parts of the case.

Mark Richards said he told Rittenhouse the first time he met him that if he wanted a crusader, then Richards wasn’t his man.

That was a sharp contrast to Rittenhouse’s first attorneys, who leaned hard into Rittenhouse’s portrayal as a potent symbol of American divides on gun issues and racial injustice.

Stay informed on the latest news

Sign up for WPR’s email newsletter.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Richards and co-counsel Corey Chirafisi said little about the case before trial and tried to focus jurors on the critical three minutes of the shootings to argue self-defense.

Support your connection to lifelong learning! Give now.