As jurors in Kyle Rittenhouse’s murder trial settled into their courtroom seats, Judge Bruce Schroeder welcomed them and noted the Veterans Day holiday.
As jurors in Kyle Rittenhouse’s murder trial settled into their courtroom seats, Judge Bruce Schroeder welcomed them and noted the Veterans Day holiday. The longtime judge then asked if any of the jurors or others in the courtroom had served. Only one person indicated he had: The man about to testify in support of Rittenhouse’s defense. “What branch?” Schroeder asked use-of-force expert John Black. “Army, sir,“ Black said. “I think we give a round of applause to the people who’ve served our country,” Schroeder said, leading the room including jurors in clapping. Black then took the stand, testifying that less than three seconds elapsed between the time a protester fired a shot in the air and Rittenhouse opened fire with his rifle. For some trial observers, Schroeder’s opening was a clear mistake that could have swayed jurors‘ opinion of a defense witness at the expense of prosecutors‘ already shaky case. But other watchers shrugged it off, suggesting prosecutors were best served letting the moment pass without objection.
