Judge delays extradition for teen charged in Kenosha
17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, charged with killing two protesters in Kenosha, will remain in custody in Illinois – where he was arrested - after a judge on Friday agreed to delay his extradition to Wisconsin.
Rittenhouse was charged on Thursday in Wisconsin with six criminal counts, including first-degree intentional homicide, attempted homicide, reckless endangerment, and possession of a dangerous weapon below the legal age of 18.
A public defender assigned to the case asked for a delay on Friday so that Rittenhouse could retain an attorney. The judge granted the request and set a new hearing date for the end of September, a spokesman for the Lake County State's Attorney's Office said.
Lawyers at Pierce Bainbridge, a prominent law firm whose clients have included President Donald Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani and former Trump adviser Carter Page, flagged on Thursday that they would represent the teenager and that their client acted in self-defense.
Video footage from Tuesday's incident shows a young, white gunman who authorities evidently believe is Rittenhouse firing an assault-style rifle at protesters who tried to subdue him, then walking calmly away from the scene, hands in the air with his rifle slung around his neck as several police vehicles drive by without stopping him.
According to the criminal complaint, another video shows Rittenhouse, who is a resident of Antioch, Illinois, saying, "I just killed somebody," after shooting one of his alleged victims.
The complaint however contains elements likely to be used in Rittenhouse's defense. Two of his alleged victims appear to try to grab the teenager's rifle before being shot, according to the complaint, citing multiple cellphone videos and witnesses
Rittenhouse is accused of shooting three protesters, two fatally, during the protests Tuesday night over the police shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake who was shot multiple times in the back at close range, leaving him paralyzed.
