Kyle Rittenhouse, the now 20-year-old who was cleared of criminal charges for shooting three rioters during the leftist riot in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on August 25th, 2020, is now facing another obstacle in his life. Friday, a civil lawsuit was filed against him in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin on behalf of the late Joseph Rosenbaum’s estate.
The suit, which also holds local sheriff’s departments, Kenosha officials, and various other counties, cities, and individuals responsible, demands compensation for the wrongful death of Rosenbaum.
Despite his acquittal in 2021, Rittenhouse, now living in Texas, has found himself in the spotlight of people wanting to paint him in a villainous light. “These lawsuits are making it harder and harder for me to move on with my life,” wrote Rittenhouse. “No one should have to continue to defend the fact that they acted in self-defense.”
In an attempt to show that Rosenbaum was a peaceful protester, the suit claims that he “was not a danger to himself or others,” overlooking the fact that he had just been released from a hospital for a suicide attempt and that he had a history of domestic abuse. The suit merely states that Rosenbaum was “engaging” the youth, completely omitting his alleged attempt to disarm Rittenhouse by force, caught on video.
And here’s the next portion of that showing the moment Rittenhouse shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum #RittenhouseTrial pic.twitter.com/WnlnMQ88BW
— Andrew Havranek 📺 (@Andrew_Havranek) November 9, 2021
The lawsuit externalizes Rittenhouse’s restraint as a problem. Despite Rosenbaum chasing down the 17-year-old, it alleges that “there was no justification for Defendant Rittenhouse to point his weapon at Joseph Rosenbaum.”
Rittenhouse has expressed difficulty leaving the house due to the constant harassment and fear for his safety due to the lies being spread in the lawsuit. Despite his complete exoneration for self-defense, the civil case is yet another impediment preventing him from moving on with his life.
Fortunately, action is being taken to prevent these kinds of cases. Just this week, the Wisconsin legislature passed a bill, called the “Rittenhouse Act,” which protects individuals who use lethal force in self-defense from civil lawsuits.
Although this will prevent similar cases in the future, this is no consolation for Rittenhouse, who continues to find himself fighting for justice. Despite his acquittal more than 110 days ago, the youngest yet most controversial victim of the Kenosha riots is still very much embroiled in the nightmare of that fateful night.
