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A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 6 January 2021
Illinois teen pleads not guilty in Kenosha protest slayings

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — An who is white, was 17 at the
Illinois teenager who fa- time of the shootings, and
tally shot two people and charges include illegal
wounded a third amidst possession of a dangerous
sometimes violent summer weapon by someone un-
protests on the streets of der age 18.
Kenosha, Wisconsin, plead- A pretrial conference for
ed not guilty on Tuesday Rittenhouse was set for
to charges including inten- March 10, with a March 29
tional homicide. trial date, though his attor-
Kyle Rittenhouse, 18, en- ney Mark Richards indicat-
tered his plea in a brief ed he would seek to delay
hearing conducted by that to allow more time to
teleconference that came prepare.
just as Kenosha was brac- Kenosha County District At-
ing for a charging decision torney Michael Graveley
in the event that brought hasn't publicly announced
Rittenhouse to the city in the timing of a decision on
August — the police shoot- whether to charge Keno-
ing of Jacob Blake. sha Police Officer Rusten
Prosecutors say Ritten- Sheskey. But the city be-
house, who is white, left his gan moving in recent days
home in Antioch, Illinois, to prepare for the event,
and traveled to Kenosha In this screen grab from live stream video, Kyle Rittenhouse, left, appears with his attorney, Mark with some businesses
after learning of a call to Richards in Richards office in Racine, Wis., during a hearing at Kenosha County Court in Kenosha, boarding their windows
protect businesses after Wis., on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021. and concrete barricades
Blake, a Black man, was Associated Press and oversized metal fenc-
shot seven times in the ing surrounding the Keno-
back Aug. 23 and left para- erty, and raised enough and protests that spread that followed damaged sha County Courthouse.
lyzed. money to make his $2 mil- across the United States businesses in the city of Fearing a repeat of the
Rittenhouse opened fire lion cash bail. and beyond. The galva- 100,000 near the Wisconsin- August protests, the Keno-
with an assault-style rifle Others see him as a domes- nized Black Lives Matter Illinois border — authorities sha Common Council on
during protests two nights tic terrorist whose presence movement put a spotlight ultimately estimated some Monday night unanimously
later, killing Joseph Rosen- with a rifle incited protest- on inequitable policing and $50 million in damage — approved an emergency
baum and Anthony Hu- ers. became a fault line in poli- some people answered resolution that goes into
ber and wounding Gaige The Blake shooting hap- tics, with President Donald a call on social media to effect with the announce-
Grosskreutz. Rittenhouse pened three months after Trump criticizing protesters travel to Kenosha. ment and allows the mayor
has argued he fired in self- George Floyd died while and aggressively pressing Conservatives have ral- to set curfews.
defense. Conservatives being restrained by po- a law-and-order message lied to Rittenhouse's legal Meanwhile, Gov. Tony Evers
have rallied around Ritten- lice officers in Minneapolis, that he sought to capitalize defense, arguing that he activated 500 National
house, describing him as a which also was captured on in Wisconsin and other was a patriot who took up Guard troops to help Keno-
patriot who took up arms to on bystander video and swing states. arms to protect people sha authorities when the
protect people and prop- which sparked outrage In Kenosha, as the protests and property. Rittenhouse, decision is announced.q

American Airlines is grounding emotional-support animals

it will allow animals in the dogs, will only be able to fly accoutrements for their
cabin free of charge only in the cargo hold or a ken- animals.
if they are trained service nel that fits under a seat Airlines and particularly
dogs. The change takes in the cabin. Either way, flight attendants took a
effect Monday, although American will collect a pet more critical view, saying
passengers who already fee ranging from $125 to passengers were exploiting
bought tickets can fly with several hundred dollars. a loophole in federal regu-
a companion animal until Jessica Tyler, American's lations to avoid pet fees.
Feb. 1. president of cargo, said In a few cases, including
The move follows a similar the rules will help passen- some involving serious inju-

decision by Alaska Airlines gers with service animals ries, companion animals bit
and is likely to be copied and protect employees on other passengers.
by other carriers. The U.S. planes and in airports. Last month, the Transpor-
Transportation Department The number of passengers tation Department settled
cleared the way for the flying with companion ani- the matter, siding mostly
In this April 1, 2017, file photo, a service dog named Orlando crackdown against com- mals grew rapidly in recent with the airlines. It said car-
rests on the foot of its trainer, John Reddan, of Warwick, N.Y.,
while sitting inside a United Airlines plane at Newark Liberty In- panion animals last month. years, with some saying riers were free to ban any
ternational Airport during a training exercise in Newark, N.J. American said passengers the animals helped them animal other than dogs for-
Associated Press with a service dog will need overcome anxiety and mally trained to help peo-
to complete a government other issues. Passengers ple with physical or psycho-
By DAVID KOENIG move that will force most form vouching for the dog's only needed a note from logical disabilities.
AP Airlines Writer owners to pay extra if they health, training and tem- a health professional, and The department estimated
DALLAS (AP) — American want their pets to travel perament. a cottage industry sprang that under the new rules
Airlines is banning emo- with them. Other animals, including up to provide those notes airlines will scoop up $59.6
tional-support animals in a The airline said Tuesday that dogs not trained as service along with vests and other million a year in pet fees.q