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Dialuna 1 november 2021
In Rittenhouse case, Americans see what they want to see

(AP) — From the mo-
ment Kyle Rittenhouse Though Rittenhouse and all Ryan Busse, a former fire-
shot three people on the three men he shot are white, arms industry executive who
streets of Kenosha during many people saw racism at is now a senior adviser at the
protests over the police the heart of Kenosha — an gun-safety organization Gif-
shooting of a Black man, armed white teen, welcomed fords, which was founded by
he’s personified America’s by police to a city where ac- former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle
polarization. tivists were rallying against Giffords, who was shot in an
a white officer’s shooting of assassination attempt in 2011,
The 17-year-old from Illi- a Black man, and allowed to said he’s worried that Ritten-
nois who carried an AR-style walk past a police line imme- house will become “some he-
rifle and idolized police was diately after shooting three roic martyr.”
cheered by those who de- people.
spised the Black Lives Matter “I’m worried about empow-
movement and the some- That division is likely to be ering more actors like him
times destructive protests on display at Rittenhouse’s who think it’s glamorous to
that followed George Floyd’s trial, which opens Monday Rittenhouse acting in self- go kill somebody with a ri-
death. He was championed with jury selection. Ritten- defense? Plentiful video ex- Rittenhouse’s defenders, fle,” Busse said.
by pro-gun conservatives house, now 18, faces several ists of the events in question, including his family, have
who said he was exercis- charges, including homicide and legal experts see a strong leaned into some of the sym- Rittenhouse made the 20-
ing his Second Amendment — and could see a life sen- case for that. The judge over- bolism. A website devoted mile (32-kilometer) trip from
rights and defending cities tence if convicted. seeing the trial, Bruce Schro- to his defense — and raising his home in Antioch, Illinois,
from “antifa,” an umbrella eder, has said forcefully that it money for it — greets visi- north to Kenosha as the city
term for leftist militants. “It’s another battle in what “is not going to be a political tors with a quote attributed was in the throes of several
has become the central sto- trial.” to James Monroe: “The right nights of chaotic demonstra-
Others saw him as the most ry of our time —- the cul- of self-defense never ceases.” tions after an officer shot Ja-
worrisome example yet of ture wars,” John Baick, who But the case has been exactly The site blasts “Big Tech, a cob Blake in the back follow-
vigilante citizens taking to the teaches modern American that, almost from the mo- corrupt media, and dishon- ing a domestic disturbance.
streets with guns, often with history at Western New Eng- ment the shootings happened est politicians” out to “ruin At least one call had gone out
the tacit support of police land University in Spring- — driven by powerful inter- the life of Kyle Rittenhouse.” on social media for armed
— a “chaos tourist,” in the field, Massachusetts, said. est groups, extremists, politi- The site briefly sold branded citizens to respond, though
words of the lead prosecutor, cians and others using it to “Free Kyle” merchandise be- Rittenhouse’s attorneys say
who came to Kenosha look- In many ways, the key ques- push their own agendas. fore vendors backed away. that wasn’t what brought Rit-
ing for trouble. tion at trial is simple: Was tenhouse to the city.

Potential jurors see racism behind Ahmaud Arbery’s slaying

(AP) — People questioned The comments could signal
during jury selection trouble for defense attorneys,
about the killing of Ah- who have often argued for
maud Arbery have said he the dismissal of potential ju-
was “racially profiled” by rors who see Arbery as a vic-
the white men who chased tim of racial prejudice. Sev-
and shot him, singled out eral of them, including No.
“due to his color” and tar- 199 and No. 72, have been
geted for being “a Black deemed qualified by Supe-
person who was thought rior Court Judge Timothy
to have been stealing Walmsley to remain in the
things.” pool from which a final jury
will be chosen.
The statements came in re-
sponse to blunt questions “It could be devastating for
about race from prosecutors the defense,” said Michael
and defense attorneys who Schiavone, a Savannah crimi-
are trying to seat an impar- nal defense attorney who
tial jury for the trial over isn’t involved in the case. “I
Arbery’s death in the coastal would be very skeptical that
Georgia city of Brunswick. they could be fair after they
The inquiries elicited some told me their opinion.”
pointed responses.
Under Georgia law, potential
“The whole case is about jurors are not automatically
racism,” one woman, identi- disqualified for showing up
fied only as potential juror with preconceived opinions
No. 199, said Thursday in about a case, as long as they borhood on Feb. 23, 2020. A recorded by security cameras from local police.
the courtroom. She said the pledge to set those opinions neighbor, William “Roddie” inside a home under con-
three men charged with mur- aside and remain fair and im- Bryan, joined the chase and struction. They say Travis “If I’m honest, if it was com-
der “hunted him down and partial while hearing the trial recorded cellphone video of McMichael fired his shotgun pletely reversed, and if the
killed him like an animal.” evidence. Walmsley has re- Travis McMichael shooting in self-defense when Arbery three men were Black and
peatedly cited that standard. Arbery three times with a attacked him with his fists. the victim were white, they
Another prospective juror, shotgun. would be arrested immedi-
No. 72, told the attorneys: Greg McMichael and his No one was arrested or ately,” another potential ju-
“If it was a white guy running adult son, Travis McMichael, Defense attorneys say the charged in the killing for ror, No. 571, told attorneys
through the neighborhood, armed themselves and pur- McMichaels and Bryan had more than two months, until during questioning Wednes-
I don’t think he would have sued Arbery in a pickup truck reason to suspect Arbery was the video leaked online and day. The judge also found
been targeted as a suspect.” after spotting the 25-year-old committing crimes in the the Georgia Bureau of In- her qualified to remain in the
man running in their neigh- neighborhood after he was vestigation took over the case jury pool.