Tag Archives: riots

law, true crime

My thoughts on Kyle Rittenhouse’s trial…

This morning, Bill and I were talking about Kyle Rittenhouse, who’s been all over the news this week. Rittenhouse sobbed during his testimony about the night of August 25, 2020, when he killed two men and wounded another. Rittenhouse, who was 17 years old at the time, had traveled to Kenosha, Wisconsin from his home in Antioch, Illinois. The teenager had gone to Kenosha to help “protect” property and act as a medic as protesters flooded the street, angered that police had shot and wounded a Black man named Jacob Blake.

From what I’ve read, the protest had become violent and chaotic. Protesters burned down several buildings and were destroying police cars. And yet, there was Kyle, driven by his mother over state lines, and carrying an AR-15 rifle, purchased for him by a friend who was over 18. At 17, Kyle Rittenhouse was too young to buy the weapon himself.

According to his testimony, Kyle Rittenhouse was being chased by the protesters he ended up shooting with the AR-15. He says he was acting in self-defense when he shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, and later injured Gaige Grosskreutz. Although Rittenhouse has maintained that his actions were done in self-defense, prosecutors have argued that Rittenhouse “created the peril through his own reckless actions that caused others to fear for their own lives and led directly to the violence.” However, according to the article I linked, “mountains of video and photo evidence appear to show Rosenbaum acting aggressively and chasing Rittenhouse, Huber striking him with a skateboard and Grosskreutz pointing a pistol at him.”

So this wasn’t a case of a person cold-bloodedly walking up to someone and shooting them. This wasn’t a situation in which the victims were completely blameless. No matter what I might think about Kyle Rittenhouse’s actions or the wisdom of his decision to attend the protest with a weapon, the fact is, there’s evidence that he was being attacked by the men he shot. And that really weakens the prosecution’s case, in my view.

When I first heard about this case, I wondered what in the hell made Kyle Rittenhouse think his “services” were needed at a protest in another state? Why did he feel like he needed a weapon, when he was supposedly there to “help” protect property and tend to the injured? What was his mother thinking when she brought her 17 year old son to Kenosha and turned him loose on the streets?

According to an article published by the University of Rochester Medical Center, “the rational part of a teen’s brain isn’t fully developed and won’t be until age 25 or so.” Kyle, at age 18, still has several years to go before he’s “fully baked”. The article continues:

…recent research has found that adult and teen brains work differently. Adults think with the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s rational part. This is the part of the brain that responds to situations with good judgment and an awareness of long-term consequences. Teens process information with the amygdala. This is the emotional part.

In teens’ brains, the connections between the emotional part of the brain and the decision-making center are still developing—and not always at the same rate. That’s why when teens have overwhelming emotional input, they can’t explain later what they were thinking. They weren’t thinking as much as they were feeling.

I have read that Kyle Rittenhouse has been associating with white supremacists. Even if that’s true, I remember that he’s still a teenager, and is likely highly impressionable and impulsive. That doesn’t make his actions right, nor does it mean that I think he should get off “free and clear”. But I do think it mitigates his case somewhat. There must be a reason why Kyle Rittenhouse has ended up in this situation. There is a backstory that leads up to his decision to try to offer “help”, where clearly it wasn’t in his best interests to do so. Again, he’s still a teenager… and he obviously doesn’t yet have the more solid judgment or reasoning skills that most responsible adults have.

According to the NPR article I linked earlier in this post, a number of legal experts are saying that they think Kyle Rittenhouse will be acquitted of most of the charges. Prosecutors are now trying to get Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder to allow jurors to consider lesser charges. This is because the prosecution’s evidence has been as useful for the defense as it has been for the prosecution.

In fact, Gaige Grosskreutz, who, as the lone survivor, was supposed to be the prosecution’s “star witness”, has made several inconsistent statements. He’s also admitted that he was, himself, carrying a pistol on an expired permit on the evening Rittenhouse shot and wounded him.

Defense attorney, Corey Chirafisi, cross-examined Grosskreutz, and asked “It wasn’t until you pointed your gun at him — advanced on him with your gun, now your hands down, pointed at him — that he fired, right?”

And Mr. Grosskreutz responded, “Correct.” as one of the prosecutors put his head in his hands.

Yeah… I wouldn’t say that’s a good look for the prosecution. It doesn’t excuse the fact that Kyle Rittenhouse had no business being involved in the protest, but Grosskreutz doesn’t exactly inspire sympathy when he admits that he had a gun, too, and wasn’t carrying it legally.

Yikes.

Rittenhouse took the stand in his own defense, and sobbed so hard that Judge Schroeder called a recess. He testified that he reached for the rifle as “Rosenbaum chased him and reached for his rifle, as Huber struck him with the skateboard and as Grosskreutz advanced on him with the pistol.” Rittenhouse said that he feared for his life. Frankly, based on that description, and especially considering his age, I can’t blame him for being terrified that the three men might kill him.

When Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger cross-examined Rittenhouse, he asked, “You understand that when you point your AR-15 at someone, it may make them feel like you are going to kill them, correct?”

And Rittenhouse responded, “Mr. Rosenbaum was chasing me. I pointed my gun at him, and that did not deter him. He could have ran away instead of trying to take my gun from me, but he kept chasing me. It didn’t stop him,”

My guess, not having been there, but having personally experienced being hopped up on adrenaline, that none of the people involved in this altercation were thinking straight. They were probably all in a state of “fight or flight”, brought on by extreme fear, aggression, and an overload of testosterone and adrenaline.

Given that, I don’t see Kyle Rittenhouse as a cold-blooded murderer who is undeserving of mercy, even if I am personally disgusted by his politics, and I realize that he’s now killed two men. I also don’t believe that most people who commit serious crimes when they are minors should have their lives ruined. While I’m certain Kyle knew that killing is wrong and against the law, he didn’t, and still doesn’t, have the mind of an adult. He proved that his judgment wasn’t very sound when he decided to attend the protest alone, stayed out after curfew during a protest, lied about being an EMT, and carried a weapon that he wasn’t legally permitted to have.

But the case hasn’t gone very well for the prosecution, which is why they’re asking the judge to allow jurors to consider lesser charges. I think the lesser charges are probably reasonable, but based on what I’ve read about the judge, I have a feeling he might not allow it. He seems somewhat sympathetic to Rittenhouse. Edited to add, Bill says the judge is allowing the lesser charges to be considered. Of course, the final verdict is up to the jury.

Hmm… this doesn’t look so good for the prosecution.

It will be interesting to see what happens in this case. A verdict is expected next week. Based on what I’ve read, both about the case itself, and the judge involved, I have a feeling Mr. Rittenhouse will not be spending long years in prison, as a lot of people seem to hope he will. While I agree that he was wrong to kill two men and wound another, and he had absolutely NO BUSINESS being at the protest in the first place, I don’t think he should rot in prison. I also hope he wises up about the right wing white supremacist types who have championed his cause. If he continues to hang around with them, there’s a good chance he will end up in trouble again. And the next time, the case against him might be much more compelling.

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politicians, politics, stupid people

Marjorie Taylor Greene… one of many people who have ensured that I won’t be voting Republican anytime soon.

I was hoping to avoid recent politics today, hence the two reposted book reviews I added this morning. I actually had another idea in mind for this morning that was kind of akin to my current interest in redemption. And yet, this morning, as I read about how Republicans are refusing to support people like Liz Cheney and Mitt Romney, who have publicly supported convicting Trump on his second impeachment, I can’t stop myself from commenting. I never thought I’d support Mitt Romney on anything, but he’s turned out to be a fairly decent person, compared to his fellow Republicans. Ditto for Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who voted with Democrats in spite of heavy pressure from the Republican Party to excuse Donald Trump for his part in riots that went on at the Capitol three weeks ago.

This morning, as I was having a conversation with Bill about redemption and wondering if it’s really worthwhile to apologize for anything, since so many people are hellbent on crucifying others, I realized that I probably won’t forgive the Republicans anytime soon. It’s the party that gave us Donald Trump and, more recently, brand new Representative Marjorie Taylor Greeene, of Georgia. Ms. Taylor Greene was only very recently installed in the federal government, having been elected in November 2020. During that time, she’s made quite an impression.

What the hell is this woman doing in a leadership position?

In 2018 and 2019, Marjorie Taylor Greene, then apparently just a regular QAnon moron, made some shocking statements on social media indicating that she thinks Democratic leaders such as California Representative and Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, ought to be executed. In a January 2019 post, Greene “liked” a comment advocating “a bullet to the head” of Nancy Pelosi. In April 2018, when a poster asked if we could “hang” former president Barack Obama and former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Greene responded:

“Stage is being set. Players are being put in place. We must be patient. This must be done perfectly or liberal judges would let them off.”

Marjorie Taylor Greene has also harassed victims of the Parkland school shooting. She’s all about maintaining her “Second Amendment rights”, sparing no thought or feeling for actual victims of gun violence. David Hogg didn’t respond to Greene’s harassment. She doesn’t warrant a response. She has no compassion, no empathy, and absolutely ZERO business leading people. What a vile, contemptible, shameless person she is. I wonder how she’d feel if she or one of her loved ones were killed or injured by gun violence? Doesn’t it make sense that people like David Hogg, who have truly suffered due to this issue, would want to change the gun laws?

Marjorie Taylor Greene is a despicable person, and yet she’s being rewarded by Republicans for her disgusting violent views.

To add insult to injury, and perhaps the reason that I’m joining the chorus in writing about this woman, is the fact that she evidently thinks journalists shouldn’t be allowed to do their jobs. At a town hall meeting two days ago, reporter Meredith Aldis wanted to ask Greene about the backlash she’s gotten this week due to her poorly considered social media posts of the not too distant past. Greene’s response was to rebuff her, saying “I’m talking to my constituents.” Then, Greene’s staff complained to security that Aldis was “causing a disturbance” and demanded that Aldis leave the public proceedings, which Aldis and other reporters had been invited to attend. A sheriff’s deputy even threatened to arrest Aldis and her crew for trespassing at the town hall meeting.

And finally, when Greene was confronted about her questionable social media posts, she had this lame excuse:

“Over the years, I’ve had teams of people manage my pages. Many posts have been liked. Many posts have been shared. Some did not represent my views. Especially the ones that CNN is about to spread across the internet,”

Nope. It’s YOUR page, Marjorie. It’s YOUR responsibility. If other people are posting things using your name that you don’t agree with, you should do something about it. Otherwise, people are going to conclude that they’re your thoughts and opinions. And based on the video I watched this morning, it’s clear that you’re full of shit. You don’t have any regard for other people and you should be expelled from public office. You are obviously someone who puts your “right” to own a gun over other people’s right to live without fear of being shot. You should be ashamed of yourself, and so should your supporters. Unfortunately, you belong to a party that is contemptible and will not do the right or decent thing to purge itself of corrupt and inept individuals like you.

I watched body cam videos taken on January 6th. They were included in an article by The New York Times about the riots. On those videos, 34 year old Rosanne Boyland, who was there to protest with her friend, Justin Winchell, is shown being trampled by rabid Trump supporters, who were hellbent on beating up police officers trying to control the situation. These folks, who are usually the ones screaming about how blue lives matter and abortion should be outlawed, were beating on the cops and sounded pretty intent on killing and maiming. They had no regard for a fellow supporter who was being mowed down by the crowd. Likewise, four other people were killed on that day. One woman, Ashli Babbitt, was shot as she tried to break into the Capitol. Two others had medical conditions that were triggered by the excitement. And, a police officer also lost his life to the violence, while another committed suicide a couple of days later.

Marjorie Taylor Greene is apparently all for this kind of behavior. She isn’t shocked or horrified by what’s in those videos. If you have access to The New York Times, I highly recommend watching the videos from the body cams. They are absolutely extraordinary. I can’t believe anyone with a shred of decency would be cheering on this kind of behavior. But apparently, Marjorie Taylor Greene, who wears face masks that read “Trump Won”, is all for it. She actively promotes QAnon theories, which have led to this craziness being unleashed in the United States. It’s absolutely appalling. I can’t believe this is the America people want to live in. I sure the hell don’t. Shouldn’t legislators be law abiding and law respecting individuals? I guess not in Marjorie Taylor Greene’s world.

Anyway… I am disgusted and revolted and I just needed to share it. Maybe later, if I’m feeling energetic, I’ll be back to write about something else.

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politicians, politics, Trump

If he told you to jump off a cliff, would you do it?

Happy MLK Day, y’all. Most years, Bill and I spend this weekend on a quick getaway somewhere. Last year, we went to Alsace, just as we did in 2017. The year before that, we went to The Netherlands. The year before that, Rothenburg ab Tauber. In 2016, we stayed local because I had dental implant surgery, but in 2015, we were in Hamburg. And in 2014, we were in Madrid. I miss traveling. I miss having a normal life.

I am not under any delusion that if Hillary Clinton had won the election in 2016, I’d be traveling somewhere nice. COVID-19 is a plague that is affecting almost everyone around the world. And I live in Germany, anyway, so Trump’s inept bullshit regarding the virus doesn’t really affect me personally. However, I am affected by watching the aftermath of the 2020 elections, which he lost. And I gotta say, I am absolutely gobsmacked by what some of his followers are saying and doing in the wake of the riots at the Capitol, which happened on January 6th, 2021.

I’ll start with the most vocal one. Texas real estate agent, Jenna Ryan, who proudly posed for photos and videoed herself before breaching the Capitol twelve days ago, is now having to face the consequences of her actions. The 50 year old businesswoman, who took a private plane to Washington, DC at the behest of her “president”, is clamoring for a pardon from Trump. Why? Because she says she was just following his orders.

“I listened to my president. He told me to go to the Capitol. I’m facing a prison sentence…”

Uh… so you thought you could go to Washington, DC, talk a bunch of shit as you videoed yourself breaching the Capitol, and not face ANY consequences? That just seems really dumb. Donald Trump is not God. He’s not above the law. You BROKE the law. You’re an adult, and I presume, completely sane. You sound perfectly sane in your interview. What the hell did you think was going to happen? And now you’re asking for a pardon? The mind boggles.

Was she under the influence of anything besides her own free will?

Well, Jenna, you lost a lot besides your mind when you decided this was a good idea. Looks like you’re going to lose your privacy, your business, your reputation, and probably your freedom. Ultimately, this stunt didn’t do anything for Trump, and he only rewards people who do something for him or give him money. All you did was make an enormous ass of yourself. Would you jump off a cliff if Trump told you to? Would you drink poisoned Kool-Aid? Give Trump a blow job and let him grab you by the pussy? It’s insane!

Should these people be pardoned for acting like thugs? I think not.

Next is our old friend, Jacob Chansley, aka the QAnon Shaiman, whose lawyer, Al Watkins, claims that Trump is at fault for his client’s arrest. Mr. Chansley, 33, is an unemployed actor who had been making a name for himself by attending Trump rallies in full facial makeup and costume, complete with horns. Chansley’s lawyer said, “[Chansley] loved Trump, every word. He listened to him. He felt like he was answering the call of our president.”

And now that Chansley is behind bars, albeit enjoying the organic diet he requested, Mr. Watkins is saying that Donald Trump should pardon him. Because apparently, Chansley, who hasn’t been a minor in many years, was in Washington, DC at the invitation of Donald Trump, wasn’t violent, didn’t cross any police lines, and didn’t assault anyone. However, he did allegedly leave an ominous note for Mike Pence that read:

“it’s only a matter of time, justice is coming.”

And that note was left as rioters screamed “Hang Mike Pence” and actually erected a gallows in view of the Capitol. How are we supposed to take that evidence? Are we to believe it was all just an act, meant to intimidate or serve as theater of the absurd? Does Jacob Chansley have the ability to dress himself and make basic decisions on his own behalf? Based on the excuses made by his lawyer, I can only conclude that Mr. Chansley is a simple-minded fool who has fallen under the the powers of a cult leader. And if Donald Trump is a cult leader, it’s definitely true that he’s a danger to the country. But Chansley got his mommy to complain about the food in jail and he’s getting his lawyer to blame Trump for his client’s ill-considered, irrational, and irresponsible actions.

This guy was addicted to crack. Now he’s acting like he’s been drinking Trump’s Kool-Aid.

And finally, there’s the MyPillow guy, Mike Lindell, who went to see Trump over the weekend and was carrying notes that mentioned the words “martial law”. Lindell claims that he wasn’t suggesting martial law as a last ditch attempt to keep Trump in power. He says he was carrying notes from a lawyer. Lindell says he has “definitive proof” that the election was fraudulent. What utter bullshit. Why is his “proof” more valid than the opinions of others, many of whom would be more in the know than a pillow salesman?

Fuck this guy.

I keep seeing conservatives commenting about how Biden will enact “martial law”. And yet Mr. MyPillow has actually discussed that with Donald Trump. As for fraud, it should be pointed out that Trump is no stranger to it himself. Several months ago, I read a book written by Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen, who related the story of how he was tasked to artificially inflate Trump’s votes in a poll run by CNBC. Cohen got John Gauger, who owns an information technology firm and is (or was) the chief information officer at Liberty University ahead of Trump’s election. Gauger was paid lots of money to manipulate the results of online polls in favor of Trump to boost his reputation and soothe his ego.

If Trump is capable of hiring someone to manipulate the results of polls run by news organizations, doesn’t it stand to reason that he’s capable of cheating in elections, too? Especially when the stakes are extremely high, as they are in his case? Because when Trump exits the White House on Wednesday, he will be vulnerable to charges brought against him by the state of New York. Trump can’t pardon himself from charges brought by states; his ability to pardon only extends to federal charges.

Trump says the other side “cheats”, but there’s a lot of evidence that Trump is the one who cheats… not just in online polls, but on his wives, and yes, in elections. He lost even though he cheated by screwing with the postal system and riling up the masses.

Unfortunately, trying to talk to Trump enthusiasts about these glaringly obvious discrepancies is like talking to the moon. They are absolutely certain that their leader is honest, forthright, and will save them from their own poor decisions. So much for the personal responsibility crowd, eh?

While I could be wrong and Trump will show compassion and mercy to folks like Jenna Ryan and Jacob Chansley, my guess is that they made these grand gestures that ultimately failed for naught. They will not get anything from Trump. He doesn’t care about them. If their actions had been successful, maybe he would have rewarded them… but most of the sane folk know that the mob that attacked the Capitol on January 6th was unorganized, undisciplined, and unintelligent. And all they did was do a lot of vandalizing and virus spreading. I shudder to think how many people caught COVID-19 at that event.

I think Jenna and Jacob and others who have been arrested are simply going to have to face the music. They will probably spend time behind bars. They will probably pay big fines. They will lose businesses, jobs, family members and friends, and for what? A man who wouldn’t think twice about grabbing them or their female loved ones by the pussy because “he’s a star”. And that’s exactly why he won’t do shit for them. Sad.

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