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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 31 OctOber 2020
Illinois judge OKs extradition of Rittenhouse to Wisconsin

By MICHAEL TARM ker's signed warrant calling
AP Legal Affairs Writer for Rittenhouse's extradi-
WAUKEGAN, Ill. (AP) — An tion.
Illinois judge on Friday or- Pierce told Novak that Wis-
dered a 17-year-old ac- consin authorities were re-
cused of killing two demon- quired by law to present
strators in Kenosha, Wiscon- charging documents to a
sin, to be extradited across magistrate judge and that
the border to stand trial on their failure to do so ren-
homicide charges. dered their extradition re-
The ruling came several quest invalid.
hours after a hearing at the State-to-state extraditions
Lake County Courthouse in are typically formalities
Waukegan, where defense and judges rarely refuse
lawyers sought to persuade another state's request to
Judge Paul Novak to block transfer a suspect. Efforts to
their Kyle Rittenhouse's fight extradition are nearly
transfer to Wisconsin. always in vain but can help
At the hearing began, Rit- attorneys buy time to com-
tenhouse's lawyer said he'd pile evidence and prepare
had a change of heart a defense.
since notifying the court The most serious charge Rit-
that he planned to call tenhouse faces in Wiscon-
witnesses, including Ritten- Kyle Rittenhouse appears for an extradition hearing in Lake County court Friday, Oct. 30, 2020, in sin is first-degree intentional
house's mother. Instead, Waukegan, Ill. homicide, which carries a
John Pierce focused on a crime and step over the come a rallying point for she began to cry. life prison sentence. He is
what he called "fatal de- (state borderline) and get some conservatives who Near the courthouse steps, also charged with attempt-
fects" in extradition papers. sanctuary," Lake County see him as a patriot who around 20 protesters, some ed intentional homicide
After 45 minutes of argu- Assistant State's Attorney was exercising his right to wearing Black Lives Matter in the wounding of a third
ments delving into the mi- Stephen Scheller said. bear arms during unrest. shirts, chanted, "Kyle is a protester, as well as a mis-
nutia of extradition law and Novak did not comment Others portray him as a do- murderer!" demeanor charge of un-
how precedent should be on the arguments during mestic terrorist who incited During arguments, Pierce derage firearm possession.
interpreted, Pierce said his the hearing. The shootings protesters by showing up at one point said, "This is a His lawyers have argued he
client should remain in Illi- happened Aug. 25, two wielding a rifle. political prosecution." The was acting in self-defense.
nois. "This Illinois child must days after a white police Rittenhouse sat at a de- prosecutor objected and Rittenhouse and the man
go free," he told the judge. officer trying to arrest Ja- fense table Friday wearing the judge instructed Pierce he allegedly injured are
A local prosecutor said the cob Blake shot the 29-year- a dress shirt and tie — mask to stick to issues of law. white, as were the two men
law is unambiguous in re- old Black man seven times across his face. He ap- Without witnesses from ei- who were killed.
quiring Rittenhouse's extra- in the back, paralyzing peared calm and at least ther side, the part of the A day after the shooting,
dition, saying that blocking him from the waist down. once turned to look at hearing meant for evi- Rittenhouse surrendered to
his transfer would under- Video of the police shoot- his mother, Wendy Ritten- dence and testimony last- police in his Illinois home-
mine the justice system. ing sparked outrage and house, on a spectactors' ed less than 30 seconds, town of Antioch, some 10
"You can imagine the cha- helped spur on the protests. bench. Later, as officers led when Scheller handed the miles (16 kilometers) south-
os if someone can commit Rittenhouse's case has be- him from the hearing room, judge Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritz- west of Kenosha. q

Civil rights groups settle lawsuit over utilities access

By KATE BRUMBACK ment, the suit said. Immigration Law Center, The city also removed ex- the notices in the first three
Associated Press The federal lawsuit, filed on one of the organizations isting non-utility debt from monthly bills after the
ATLANTA (AP) — Civil rights behalf of groups including that filed the lawsuit, said in city utility bills and agreed agreement becomes ef-
groups have reached a the Georgia NAACP and an emailed statement. "We that it won't disconnect or fective.
settlement with a Georgia individual residents, argued can no longer accept the threaten to disconnect utili- Within 30 days of the effec-
city to end policies that that the policies violated criminalization of poverty. ties because of debt not tive date of the agreement,
they said illegally restricted the federal Fair Housing We are grateful for our cou- related to utilities. the city has agreed to pay
access to utility services Act, which prohibits dis- rageous plaintiffs who have The city has also changed $450,000 to the plaintiffs for
and disproportionately af- crimination on the basis of fought long and hard for its utility application require- damages and legal fees.
fected Black and Latino race, color or national ori- this victory for themselves ments to allow applicants "This settlement is transfor-
residents. gin. and their community. We to use additional forms of mational," Ernest Ward,
The lawsuit filed in May The civil rights groups an- know that when we join identification during the former president of the
2017 against LaGrange nounced the settlement together to fight back, we process, including allowing Troup County NAACP said
says the city, which is the agreement Friday after it win." a foreign passport as valid in the emailed statement.
only provider of basic utili- was signed earlier in the LaGrange is about 70 miles photo identification and a "It brings much needed
ties, threatened to cut off month. (110 kilometers) southwest tax identification number changes to LaGrange's
utilities if residents didn't "This ruling sends a clear of Atlanta, near the Ala- instead of a Social Security Black and Brown commu-
pay outstanding municipal message that these kinds of bama state line. number for credit checks. nities, while shining a light
court fines. Another policy discriminatory and harmful According to the settle- The city also agreed to on the systemic problems
denied utility services to policies will not stand — not ment agreement, the city post written notices of the in the city. It reinforces the
people who can't provide just in LaGrange, but in any repealed the ordinance changes, in English and racial justice work we've
a Social Security number city across the country," that conditioned access to Spanish, on specified city been doing for years, and
and a photo ID issued by Marielena Hincapié, exec- utility services on the pay- webpages and social me- the work that remains to be
the state or federal govern- utive director the National ment of non-utility debt. dia sites and to include done."q