Kyle Rittenhouse collapses as jury finds him not guilty; Biden 'stands by what the jury' decided: What we know

Verdict reached: Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty on all counts of homicide, reckless endangerment

After four days and more than 24 total hours deliberating, jurors in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial reached a verdict Friday, finding the 18-year-old not guilty of all charges against him.

Rittenhouse was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide stemming from shootings during a violent night of protest over police brutality and racial justice in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

He faced a mandatory life sentence. But now, Rittenhouse – who was 17 when he shot three people with an AR-15 rifle – will walk free. Rittenhouse fatally shot Kenosha County residents Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and wounded another Wisconsin resident, Gaige Grosskreutz, during a protest.

Jurors pored over dozens of videos and witness testimonies while weighing whether Rittenhouse acted in self defense or was looking for a fight on the night of Aug. 25, 2020. The night of unrest came following the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was left paralyzed when a white police officer shot him several times. The officer was cleared of any state or federal charges.

'We ask for peace,' attorneys say

Lawyers for Gaige Grosskreutz and the estate of Joseph Rosenbaum said Friday marked a day to "grieve for the families of those slain by Kyle Rittenhouse."

"For now, we ask for peace from everyone hurting and that the public respect the privacy of the victims and their families," the lawyers said in a statement.

The lawyers added: "What we need right now is justice, not more violence. While today’s verdict may mean justice delayed, it will not mean justice denied. We are committed to uncovering the truth of that night and holding those responsible to account."

Defense lawyer said he 'had to put' Rittenhouse on the stand

Speaking with reporters Friday afternoon, defense attorney Mark Richards said he "had to put" Rittenhouse on the stand and that it "wasn't a close call."

Richards said the defense team did a mock jury, one with Rittenhouse testifying and one without. "It was substantially better when he testified," Richards said. "That sealed it. If you don't put a client on the stand, you're going to lose. Period."

Richards said there were times he doubted the case and times he was confident.

"It's been a long three weeks. We're very happy with the verdict," Richards said. "To say that we were relieved would be a gross understatement."

Richards said Rittenhouse "wants to get on with his life" and "wishes none of this ever happened."

District attorney calls on public to 'not resort to violence'

Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley issued a statement following the verdict Friday, urging the public to react peacefully.

"We respect the jury verdict based on three and a half days of careful deliberations," Graveley said. "Certainly, issues regarding the privilege of self-defense remain highly contentious in our current times. We ask that all members of the public accept the verdicts peacefully and not resort to violence."

Rittenhouse collapses, cries as verdict read

Rittenhouse stood before the jury Friday afternoon. As each not guilty verdict was read, he started to break down in tears. By the last verdict, he appeared to drop to his knees. He was helped up and given water, and Rittenhouse then hugged one of his attorneys.

He quickly left the courtroom after the verdict was complete. His family, seated in the rows behind him in the courtroom, were seen in tears.

The trial's eight days of testimony regularly included raw emotion and extreme tension. Rittenhouse took the stand last week in his own defense, and he broke down when describing the events that led to him shooting three people.

"I didn't do anything wrong," Rittenhouse said while claiming self-defense. Later, Rittenhouse said, "I didn’t want to have to kill anybody that night."

Jacob Blake family protests outside courthouse

As the verdict was read, opposing groups of protesters outside the courthouse exploded with cheers and what sounded like boos. Some vehicles outside the courthouse started honking.

Several of the demonstrators, including members of Jacob Blake's family, said justice wasn't given in the case. Blake, who is Black, was shot by a white police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin – an event that launched the violent protests in the city and led to Rittenhouse opening fire on several demonstrators.

"We're going to continue to fight," Justin Blake, an uncle, told news cameras posted outside. "Somehow, someway those 12 jurors who had the evidence found he was innocent of the charges, yet we have two young men that will never be walking through the door to their families again."

Blake said, "we need to pray for their families."

Those near Blake held signs calling for "justice for the victims." Another sign had a cut out of Rittenhouse's body showing him wearing a T-shirt that read, "Konvict Killer Kyle."

Those there to support Rittenhouse were smiling. Some shouted, "praise God" and "justice has been served" while others held signs reading "FREE KYLE" or "Support the TRUTH."

The opposing groups shouted at one another at times, but the tense exchanges did not lead to any violence.

Biden 'stands by what the jury' decided

President Joe Biden reacted to the Rittenhouse verdict as he arrived at the White House Friday, telling reporters he stood by the verdict.

"I stand by what the jury has to say. The jury system works," Biden said.

In a formal statement issued later, Biden added: "While the verdict in Kenosha will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included, we must acknowledge that the jury has spoken."

Biden urged Americans "to express their views peacefully, consistent with the rule of law." He said the White House and federal authorites were in contact with the Wisconsin governor's office and that he spoke with Gov. Tony Evers Friday afternoon to offer support and "any assistance needed to ensure public safety."

"Violence and destruction of property have no place in our democracy," he said.

Biden declined to say whether he stood by a tweet he posted after the 2020 shootings that equated Rittenhouse to white supremacy, something Rittenhouse's family said was defamation.

Earlier this week, Evers sent about 500 Wisconsin National Guard troops to the Kenosha area to be on standby. The troops would help the "hundreds of officers from volunteering law enforcement agencies" if they need assistance in case of unrest, according to Evers' office.

Multiple Kenosha schools shifted to virtual learning Thursday and Friday due to safety concerns related to the trial, the Kenosha Unified School District said.

Lawmakers, celebs react

Lawmakers, celebrities and other high-profile figures across the nation reacted to the verdict Friday.

U.S. Rep Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., called for a federal review of the case.

"This heartbreaking verdict is a miscarriage of justice and sets a dangerous precedent which justifies federal review by DOJ. Justice cannot tolerate armed persons crossing state lines looking for trouble while people engage in First Amendment-protected protest," Nadler wrote on Twitter.

U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said in a statement the verdict was "unconscionable."

"It is unconscionable our justice system would allow an armed vigilante — who traveled to Kenosha, Wisconsin and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber, and wounded Gaige Grosskreutz — to go free. The ludicrous claim of self-defense is on par with the abhorrent behavior displayed by the prosecution and the judge," Beatty said.

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said in a tweet that justice had been served. "I hope everyone can accept the verdict, remain peaceful and let the community of Kenosha heal and rebuild," he said.

The Rev. Al Sharpton said the verdict was "outrageous and dangerous" that will encourage "vigilantes." He added: "These continue to be dark days for Black people killed at the hands of people that believe our lives do not matter."

Kyle Rittenhouse verdict reactions: From 'Justice system broken' to 'Justice system worked'

Outside the courthouse, Mark McCloskey and his wife – both of whom gained national attention after they waved guns at racial injustice protesters who were marching in their gated St. Louis subdivision last summer – applauded the jury and acquittal.

"I think it's a great day for America. It's a great day for individual liberty. A great day for the Second Amendment," said McCloskey, who is now running for U.S. Senate in Missouri. "I could not be prouder of our American system of justice."

Social media erupted after the verdict, with celebrities voicing their opinions.

Viola Davis responded to the verdict by tweeting: "Welcome to America."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kyle Rittenhouse cries with not guilty verdict; Biden stands by jury