When he spoke, he burst into tears. Whether it was a good idea or a bad idea, we now have a real “legal reason” why Kyle and his defense team did what they did.
The majority of Kyle Rittenhouse’s supporters felt shocked and a little scared when he stepped in to defend himself on Wednesday, November 10, 2021.
Kyle Rittenhouse weeping on stand as he recalls his encounter with Ziminski. Judge calls a recesspic.twitter.com/Odkc6piDDe
— TheM0dAlice (@TheM0dalice) November 10, 2021
His supporters believed that counsel had done an amazing job of defending him and proved that his actions were merely self-defense and that the prosecution duo had confused things from the start. So many people were worried when Kyle took a stand, fearing that the jury might use it against him later.
Jonathan Turley, a legal professor, explained why Kyle and his defense team decided to put him on the stand to testify in his own defense. Here’s what Professor Turley explained. Kyle is going for an acquittal, not a “hung jury” and that’s why they placed him on the stand.
“Kyle Rittenhouse just broke down on the stand. The defense has done a strong job on direct. Defense attorneys often do not want to risk such testimony. However, this is clearly a strategy for acquittal, not just a hung jury…
…Prosecution witnesses imploded earlier. It would have been tempting to just minimize risk and not put Rittenhouse on the stand. However, such a move could be left lingering doubts in jurors if you want to nail an acquittal…
…As a criminal defense attorney, I have been critical of the tendency to hold back defendants in high-profile cases.
…There is a risk here particularly with a defendant who just broke down on direct. However, there are risks to not taking the stand.”
Kyle Rittenhouse just broke down on the stand. The defense has done a strong job on direct. Defense attorneys often do not want to risk such testimony. However, this is clearly a strategy for acquittal not just a hung jury…
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) November 10, 2021
What happened when he was there appears to be a clear self-defense case, and because this case is so high-profile, and Kyle has been tried and convicted in the court of public opinion, it was important to humanize him to the jury and remind them that he is just a child who found himself in a threatening situation with brutal people.
Sources: waynedupree , insider-voice.com , andorra.kivazen.com
