The Latest On The Kyle Rittenhouse Trial

The trial of Kyle Rittenhouse has captured the nation’s attention, as the 18-year-old faces six charges at present. We learned Friday afternoon that he could be convicted on other charges in addition to, or in place of, the six counts originally submitted to the jury. And his attorney disclosed that due to the events of August 25, 2020, Kyle Rittenhouse allegedly suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Here are the latest developments in the case as of Friday, November 12, at 2:49 p.m. Eastern time:

The jury will be able to charge Kyle Rittenhouse with lesser offenses: Kyle Rittenhouse could be charged with endangering Daily Caller reporter

Prosecutors originally accused Kyle Rittenhouse of committing six crimes: five felonies — intentional homicide, reckless homicide, attempted intentional homicide, and two counts of reckless endangerment — and a misdemeanor count of underage possession of a deadly weapon. That number might now expand.

If the prosecution is unable to prove the original six charges beyond a reasonable doubt, rather than acquitting the teenager (who was a minor at the time of the August 25, 2020, incident), Rittenhouse decided on Friday afternoon to give jurors the option of charging him with other, lesser offenses that the prosecution deems appropriate.

“If a lesser imputed offense is presented to the jury … which are less serious crimes, carrying lesser potential sentences — if I allow those, then the jury, if they are unable to agree that you’re guilty of the charged offense, will have the opportunity to consider whether you’re guilty of the less serious offense and could return that as a verdict as an alternative to instead returning a verdict of not guilty,” Judge Bruce Schroeder told Rittenhouse on November 12. Judge Schroeder admitted that Rittenhouse would be “raising the risk of conviction” but “decreasing the chance you’ll have a second trial.”

Rittenhouse’s attorneys objected to some of the lesser offenses but allowed others to go forward. The 18-year-old had the opportunity to overrule the advice of legal counsel but chose to accept it.

Judge Schroeder had disallowed prosecutors from asking jurors to convict Rittenhouse of second-degree reckless homicide in the death of Joseph Rosenbaum and second-degree reckless endangerment, but he is leaning toward allowing jurors to consider another second-degree reckless endangerment charge involving Daily Caller journalist Richard McGinnis, who was standing approximately 15 feet behind Rosenbaum during the shooting.

Rittenhouse’s attorneys reveal that he allegedly has PTSD

As Judge Schroeder asked Rittenhouse if he

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