Men shot by Kyle Rittenhouse cannot be called ‘victims’ in court, judge rules 📂 Archived Message Posted by Raskolnikov on October 27, 2021, 9:23 pm But defense attorneys may call them ‘arsonists’ or ‘looters’ judge says ahead of contentious trial over fatal shooting of two men Seems completely fair and unlikely to prejudice the jury; this trial's shaping up to be a model of justice. Sadly it's American justice. The people shot by Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last August cannot be referred to as “victims” by prosecutors in court, a judge ruled on Monday. Defense attorneys may, however, call them “arsonists” or “looters”, the judge said. “The word ‘victim’ is a loaded, loaded word. And I think ‘alleged victim’ is a cousin to it,” said Judge Bruce Schroeder on Monday. “Let the evidence show what the evidence shows. And if the evidence shows that any or more than 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,” he added, before what is expected to be a contentious trial starting next week. In response to Schroeder’s ruling on Monday, assistant district attorney Thomas Binger said that he was creating a “double standard”, saying: “If I were to count the number of times that you’ve admonished me not to call someone a victim during a trial, it would be in the thousands.” “The terms that I’m identifying here, such as ‘rioters’, ‘looters’, ‘arsonists’, are as loaded, if not more loaded, than the term ‘victim’,” Binger added. Schroeder also said Mark Richards, one of Rittenhouse’s attorneys, could “demonize them [the shot men] if he wants, if he thinks it will win points with the jury”, according to the Chicago Tribune. https://www.dumptheguardian.com/us-news/2021/oct/27/kyle-rittenhouse-shooting-trial Message Thread: Men shot by Kyle Rittenhouse cannot be called ‘victims’ in court, judge rules - Raskolnikov October 27, 2021, 9:23 pm « Index   Searching