美國新聞中心
11/21/2021

美國威斯康星州 Kyle Rittenhouse 基諾莎槍擊案在當地時間11月19日由大陪審團達成一致，五項指控全部取消，當庭無罪釋放。

來自伊利諾伊州安提阿 (Antioch) 的 18 歲少年里頓豪斯 (Rittenhouse) 因2020年8月在威斯康星州基諾沙市持槍向三名男子開火造成兩名死亡和第三人受傷，被控五項罪名將面臨終身監禁。

以下是Kyle的律師團公開信翻譯件：

威斯康星騷亂引發的槍擊案，舉國關注。17歲少年擊斃兩人，打傷一個，現在被控謀殺。一個強大的律師團已經決定免費替他辯護，相關訴訟費用由捐款承擔。

少年的辯護律師Pierce Bainbridge代表律師團發表了一份公開聲明。

皮爾斯·班布里奇很榮幸能夠代理伊利諾伊州安提阿居民，17歲的凱爾·里滕豪斯（Kyle Rittenhouse）。他一夜之間發現自己身處一場全國風暴的中心，並且被控謀殺。而這一切，是因為他在威斯康星州基諾沙（Kenosha），遭到一群殘暴，狠毒，甚至可能致命的暴民襲擊之後，不得不舉槍保護自己。

事件背景：
2020年8月25日，雅各布·布萊克（Jacob Blake）槍擊事件發生後，基諾沙陷入騷亂。

基諾沙市長和威斯康星州州長未能保障基本的法律和秩序，以保護當地公民和社區建築物。整個城市在燃燒，暴民摧毀了建築物和財產，搶劫者洗劫商店。暴亂的人在店面，法院以及許多公共和私人場所外面留下各種塗鴉，滿城皆是。

當天，凱爾在基諾沙擔任社區救生員。下班之後他想幫忙清掃，於是和一個朋友去了當地的公立高中，清洗騷亂者留下的塗鴉。當天晚些時候，他們收到了一個業主的求助電話，他在市區的汽車經銷店已經大部分被暴民摧毀，但是需要找人幫忙，保護自己一生拼搏僅剩下的一點財產，其中包括附近的兩家修車鋪。凱爾和一個朋友於是前往修車鋪。由於基諾沙和許多美國城市最近出現的致命暴力事件，他們帶上了步槍。這些武器都是放在威斯康星州的，從未越過州界。

到達之後，凱爾和其他人一起在車店對面的修車鋪站崗，以防止進一步遭到破壞。當天晚些時候，特別是晚上8:00之後，宵禁無效，警察終於開始驅散暴|徒。在這個過程中，他們把一些人趕到了車鋪前面的大街上。暴|徒經過時，凱爾和其他人多次遭到口頭威脅和挑釁，但凱爾從未做出反應。他的目的不是挑起暴力衝突，而只是為了防止財產受損，並利用他的技能為受傷的社區成員提供急救。

人群通過修車鋪之後，凱爾認為危險已經過去，他越來越擔心聚集在附近加油站的傷員，其中有抗議者，也有旁觀的人，因為他們無法立即獲得醫療救治或執法部門的幫助。於是凱爾帶著急救包去了加油站。他搜尋了受傷人員，提供了緊急救助，並且在一片混亂中，盡可能將人們引向能夠幫助他們的人。凱爾最後一次回到加油站，並確認沒有更多傷員需要幫助時，警察已經把防線推前了，堵住了他回到修車鋪的路。凱爾聽從警察的指示，沒有去修車鋪，於是回到加油站。之後他聽說另一個修車鋪正面臨直接的威脅，而附近沒有警察維持治安。

凱爾走向第二家修車鋪的時候，遭遇了一伙暴民，他們認出來凱爾就是保護店鋪的人，而那家店，是他們一直試圖毀滅的。這激怒了暴民，他們決意要傷害凱爾。他們開始追他。凱爾試圖逃走，但是沒來得及。隨即身後傳來槍聲，凱爾轉過身，正看到一個襲擊者向他撲過來，並伸手奪槍。他在一瞬間做出了應急反應，合理地用自己的武器保護自己，開槍並且擊中了攻擊他的人。

凱爾停了下來，想確保受傷的攻擊者能夠得到救助，但是面對的卻是越來越多的暴徒向他圍過來。他意識到為了自己的安全和性命，必須逃走。當他在街上疾跑的時候，另一名攻擊者從後面襲擊了凱爾。當暴民貼近的時候，凱爾轉身，然後摔倒在地。當他還在地上的時候，一名攻擊者踢了他。還有一個人用滑板砸了他的頭。數名暴徒試圖搶槍。由於擔心自己的生命安全，並擔心人群會繼續向他開槍甚至用自己的武器傷害他，凱爾別無選擇，只能向最近的攻擊者多次開槍，擊中了兩人，包括一個攜帶武器的攻擊者。聽到這幾聲槍響之後，其餘的暴民開始四散奔逃。

凱爾站起來，雙手舉在空中，繼續朝警察的方向走去。他試圖聯繫多名警官，但他們更關注受傷的襲擊者。警方當時沒有拘留凱爾，反而讓他繼續走過去。無論當時還是晚些時候，當他在家鄉伊利諾伊州安提阿市去警局自首，凱爾都全力配合了警方的指令。

但是，為了安撫目前肆虐美國的分裂和破壞勢力，基諾沙檢察官沒有對事實進行任何有意義的分析，也沒有對已有的視頻進行任何深入的審查（其中一些視頻證明州ZF的關鍵證人甚至不在槍擊現場），這根本不是一個認真的調查。相反，在得知凱爾可能具有保守派的政治觀點之後，他們立即將他鎖定成一個便利的靶子，將他當作替罪羊，以轉移他們對雅各布·布萊克槍擊事件以及政府為確保公民基本法律和秩序的絕對失敗的注意力。在24-36小時內，他被控多項謀殺罪。

凱爾現在擁有全國最好的律師團。在尼古拉斯·桑德曼的律師L. Lin Wood的幫助下，皮爾斯·班布里奇和威斯康星州的多位頂級刑事辯護律師立即表示願意代理凱爾。
今天，他的律師團與公設辯護律師合作，成功地把他的引渡聽證會延續了幾個星期，直到9月25日。這至少部分減緩了ZF和媒體急於定性的草率，他們已經下定決心要瘋狂污蔑他的人格並毀掉他的一生。
凱爾，他的家人，皮爾斯·班布里奇團隊和其他所有律師一定會奉陪到底，我們會把此案推向庭審，並且由陪審團根據正當防衛把凱爾無罪釋放。

凱爾的辯護律師費和其他訴訟費用將由FightBack Foundation Inc.捐贈，該基金會是由John Pierce和Lin Wood創立的，位於德州的501（c）（4）機構，目的是保護守法美國公民的正當權益免遭踐踏。州ZF和地方ZF更願意取悅暴民，而不是保護公民的權利。

皮爾斯和班布里奇律師事務所的創始人約翰·皮爾斯（John Pierce）贊揚了凱爾的堅強和韌性。「在美國，不應該需要一個17歲的孩子拿起武器保護生命和財產。那是州ZF和地方ZF的職責。但是，他們失敗了，以至於守法公民別無選擇，只能自己保護自己的社區，就像1775年列克星敦和康科德的祖先一樣。凱爾不是種族份子，也不是白人至上。他是一個勇敢的，愛國的，富有同情心的守法美國公民，熱愛他的國家和社區。他沒有做錯任何事。他保護了自己，這是上帝賦予所有美國人民，並受到法律保護的基本權利。現在，他正處於ZF機構的准星之下，而他們的力量要強大得多。但是，凱爾將勇敢地面對他們，不僅為自己而戰，更是為所有美國人以及心愛的（憲）法而戰。我們永遠不會離開他的身邊，直到勝利那一天。」

隨著調查和法律訴訟的進行，將提供進一步的更新。

英文原文：
Full Statement:
VERNON HILLS, ILLINOIS / August 28, 2020 / Pierce Bainbridge is honored to represent 17-year old Antioch, Illinois resident Kyle Rittenhouse, who has suddenly found himself at the center of a national firestorm and charged with murder after defending himself from a relentless, vicious and potentially deadly mob attack in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
On August 25th, 2020, Kenosha spiraled into chaos following the Jacob Blake shooting. The Kenosha Mayor and Wisconsin Governor failed to provide a basic degree of law and order to protect the citizens and community buildings in Kenosha. The city burned as mobs destroyed buildings and property, and looters stole whatever they wanted. Rioters defaced storefronts, the courthouse, and many other public and private locations across the city.
After Kyle finished his work that day as a community lifeguard in Kenosha, he wanted to help clean up some of the damage, so he and a friend went to the local public high school to remove graffiti by rioters. Later in the day, they received information about a call for help from a local business owner, whose downtown Kenosha auto dealership was largely destroyed by mob violence. The business owner needed help to protect what he had left of his life’s work, including two nearby mechanic’s shops. Kyle and a friend armed themselves with rifles due to the deadly violence gripping Kenosha and many other American cities, and headed to the business premises. The weapons were in Wisconsin and never crossed state lines.
Upon arrival, Kyle and others stood guard at the mechanic’s shop across from the auto dealership to prevent further damage or destruction. Later that night, substantially after the city’s 8:00 p.m. curfew expired without consequence, the police finally started to attempt to disperse a group of rioters. In doing so, they maneuvered a mass of individuals down the street towards the auto shops. Kyle and others on the premises were verbally threatened and taunted multiple times as the rioters passed by, but Kyle never reacted. His intent was not to incite violence, but simply to deter property damage and use his training to provide first aid to injured community members.
After the crowd passed the premises and Kyle believed the threat of further destruction had passed, he became increasingly concerned with the injured protestors and bystanders congregating at a nearby gas station with no immediate access to medical assistance or help from law enforcement. Kyle headed in that direction with a first aid kit. He sought out injured persons, rendered aid, and tried to guide people to others who could assist to the extent he could do so amid the chaos. By the final time Kyle returned to 2 the gas station and confirmed there were no more injured individuals who needed assistance, police had advanced their formation and blocked what would have been his path back to the mechanic’s shop. Kyle then complied with the police instructions not to go back there. Kyle returned to the gas station until he learned of a need to help protect the second mechanic’s shop further down the street where property destruction was imminent with no police were nearby.
As Kyle proceeded towards the second mechanic’s shop, he was accosted by multiple rioters who recognized that he had been attempting to protect a business the mob wanted to destroy. This outraged the rioters and created a mob now determined to hurt Kyle. They began chasing him down. Kyle attempted to get away, but he could not do so quickly enough. Upon the sound of a gunshot behind him, Kyle turned and was immediately faced with an attacker lunging towards him and reaching for his rifle. He reacted instantaneously and justifiably with his weapon to protect himself, firing and striking the attacker.
Kyle stopped to ensure care for the wounded attacker but faced a growing mob gesturing towards him. He realized he needed to flee for his safety and his survival. Another attacker struck Kyle from behind as he fled down the street. Kyle turned as the mob pressed in on him and he fell to the ground. One attacker kicked Kyle on the ground while he was on the ground. Yet another bashed him over the head with a skateboard. Several rioters tried to disarm Kyle. In fear for his life and concerned the crowd would either continue to shoot at him or even use his own weapon against him, Kyle had no choice but to fire multiple rounds towards his immediate attackers, striking two, including one armed attacker. The rest of the mob began to disperse upon hearing the additional gunshots.
Kyle got up and continued down the street in the direction of police with his hands in the air. He attempted to contact multiple police officers, but they were more concerned with the wounded attackers. The police did not take Kyle into custody at that time, but instead they indicated he should keep moving. He fully cooperated, both then and later that night when he turned himself in to the police in his hometown, Antioch, Illinois.
Kyle did nothing wrong. He exercised his God-given, Constitutional, common law and statutory law right to self-defense.
However, in a reactionary rush to appease the divisive, destructive forces currently roiling this country, prosecutors in Kenosha did not engage in any meaningful analysis of the facts, or any in-depth review of available video footage (some of which shows that a critical state’s witness was not even at the area where the shots were fired); this was not a serious investigation. Rather, after learning Kyle may have had conservative political viewpoints, they immediately saw him as a convenient target who they could use as a scapegoat to distract from the Jacob Blake shooting and the government’s abject failure to ensure basic law and order to citizens. Within 24-36 hours, he was charged with multiple homicide counts.
Kyle now has the best legal representation in the country. With help from Nicholas Sandmann attorney L. Lin Wood, Pierce Bainbridge and multiple top-tier criminal defense lawyers in Wisconsin immediately offered representation to Kyle.
Today, his legal team was successful in working with the public defender to obtain a several-week continuance of his extradition hearing to September 25th. This at least partially slows down the rush to judgment by a government and media that is determined to assassinate his character and destroy his life.
Kyle, his family, the team at Pierce Bainbridge and his other lawyers intend to fight these charges every step of the way, take the case to trial and win an acquittal on the grounds of self-defense before a jury of his peers.
The legal fees and other costs of Kyle’s defense will be provided through donations to #FightBack Foundation Inc., a Texas 501(c)(4) foundation created by John Pierce and Lin Wood to protect lawabiding American citizens whose rights are being trampled on by state and local governments that are more concerned with appeasing mobs than protecting those rights.
Pierce Bainbridge founder John Pierce praised Kyle’s strength and resilience. “A 17-year old child should not have to take up arms in America to protect life and property. That is the job of state and local governments. However, those governments have failed, and law-abiding citizens have no choice but to protect their own communities as their forefathers did at Lexington and Concord in 1775. Kyle is not a racist or a white supremacist. He is a brave, patriotic, compassionate law-abiding American who loves his country and his community. He did nothing wrong. He defended himself, which is a fundamental right of all Americans given by God and protected by law. He is now in the crosshairs of institutional forces that are much more powerful than him. But he will stand up to them and fight not only for himself, but for all Americans and their beloved Constitution. We will never leave his side until he is victorious in that fight.”
Further updates will be provided as the investigation and legal proceedings unfold.