After Kyle Rittenhouse was unanimously acquitted Friday of all charges in the fatal shooting of two Kenosha protesters—and an attempted third—during the racial reckoning in the summer of 2020, President Joe Biden weighed in on the verdict. “I stand by what the jury has to say,” the president told reporters when asked about the acquittal. “The jury system works.” “I just heard a moment ago. I didn’t watch the trial, so I, you know,” he added. In a written statement, Biden later emphasized that “While the verdict in Kenosha will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included, we must acknowledge that the jury has spoken.” The 18-year-old Rittenhouse has become an icon on the far-right, which quickly cheered the verdict. Meanwhile, the victims’ parents and Kenosha, Wisconsin, residents have expressed their outrage, saying justice was not done.
