1 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: You're listening to Bloomberg Law with June Grassoe from Bloomberg Radio. 2 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: Who is eighteen year old Kyle Rittenhouse, a hero defending 3 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 1: law and order or a vigilante taking the law into 4 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:21,600 Speaker 1: his own hands. The jury will hear starkly different portrayals 5 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:25,440 Speaker 1: of Rittenhouse at his trial for killing two unarmed protesters 6 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: and injuring a third during a turbulent protest against racial 7 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: injustice and Kenosha, Wisconsin, last August. Here are the prosecutor, 8 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 1: Thomas Finger and the defense attorney, Mark Richards. The evidence 9 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:39,440 Speaker 1: will show that hundreds of people were out on the 10 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: street experiencing chaos and violence, and the only person who 11 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: killed anyone was the defendant, Kyle Rittenhouse. It isn't a 12 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: who done it, when did it happen, or anything like that. 13 00:00:54,000 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: It is was Kyle Rittenhouse's actions privileged under the law 14 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 1: of self defense. The jury may also here Rittenhouse his 15 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:08,319 Speaker 1: own words to a reporter on the night of the shooting. 16 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 1: Our jobs to protect this business. Part of my job. 17 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: There's somebody heard I'm running into Harm's leg Joining me 18 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 1: is Stephen Wright, a professor at the University of Wisconsin 19 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 1: Law School. So a seventeen year old drives half an 20 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: hour from home across state lines to Kenoshaw with an 21 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:31,120 Speaker 1: illegal weapon, a military style semi automatic rifle, and joins 22 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 1: a group of armed people. He shot and killed two 23 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: men within hours. What are the different narratives that we're 24 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,400 Speaker 1: going to here? I think there are two narratives that 25 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:45,679 Speaker 1: have already started to play out. The prosecution makes the 26 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: argument that Mr. Rittenhouse traveled across state line, that he 27 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: obtained a weapon, that he state out past curfew, and 28 00:01:56,520 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: that he was basically here to cause trouble. The defense 29 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 1: began their opening statements by showing lots of pictures of 30 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 1: the protests or as they say, the looting and rioting 31 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 1: that we're happening, and they want to portray a young 32 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: man that was very much concerned about the Kenosha community 33 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: with which he had some ties, you know, and many 34 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:21,079 Speaker 1: people who support him want to portray him in some 35 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:24,799 Speaker 1: ways as a hero. That he's a young man exercising 36 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: his Second Amendment right to bear arms, and that he 37 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: was defending property when the local government, when the police 38 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: failed to do something. So is the question going to 39 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 1: be purely whether he fired in self defense? That's largely 40 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 1: going to be the question, you know, there's no question 41 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 1: that he fired the shot. The defense showed the jury 42 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: several photographs, and these photographs portray Mr. Rittenhouse as a 43 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 1: peaceful young man who ultimately was chased down an attacked. 44 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:02,679 Speaker 1: The question basically, who started this fight. There's a big 45 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:05,640 Speaker 1: debate about what happened before the chase. What's also in 46 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: dispute is how much danger Mr. Riddenhouse should have felt 47 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: during the chase. Should he have felt that his life 48 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,239 Speaker 1: was in danger to the point where he needed to 49 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 1: use lethal force to defend himself. Those are sort of 50 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 1: the core questions at the self defense argument, especially that 51 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 1: relates to the first man that was shot and killed. 52 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 1: What is the lawn Wisconsin on the use of deadly force? So, 53 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: Wisconsin in some ways has a very traditional self defense 54 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 1: statute that somebody can use lethal force if they believe 55 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 1: that it is reasonable to do so to protect their 56 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 1: lives or someone else. A large part of what we're 57 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: going to ask the jury is whether Mr. Riddenhouse had 58 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: a reasonable fear that his life was in danger and 59 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: whether using that any automatic weapon to kill two people 60 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 1: was reasonable under the circumstances. Wisconsin does not have a 61 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 1: standard ground law, but One of the things the jury 62 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: can consider when determining the reasonable nous of Mr. Riddenhouse's 63 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,279 Speaker 1: fear and the reasonableness of the amount of force that 64 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 1: he used was whether he could have fled, whether this 65 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: depth ultimately could have been avoided. So there is or 66 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 1: is not a duty to retreat if you can, there 67 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: is no legal duty to retreat. But the way that 68 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: the reasonableness inquiry works is that the jury gets to 69 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: consider many different facts. And one of the factors that 70 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 1: they consider, of course is in this case the decedent, 71 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: how aggressive the person was, or what was going through Mr. 72 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: Riddenhouse's mind at that moment. Another fact that they can 73 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,480 Speaker 1: take into account is whether Mr Riddenhouse should have retreated. 74 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 1: So there's no legal duty to retreat, but it's something 75 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 1: that the jury should and can't consider during their deliberation. 76 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 1: What about the fact that the first victim he shot 77 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 1: four times? In any self defense case, the jury is 78 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:12,599 Speaker 1: going to consider the reasonableness of the defendants response, and 79 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 1: so in this case, you know, the jury will consider 80 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:19,839 Speaker 1: whether firing that many times from a semi automatic weapon 81 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 1: was necessary. But you know, as a general rule, when 82 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:27,920 Speaker 1: juries tend to be barely forgiving once they've determined that 83 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: a defendants life was in danger. In my experience, they 84 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: don't make a lot of differentiation between firing one time 85 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 1: versus firing four times when somebody really feels that their 86 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 1: life is in danger. There is a lot of video 87 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 1: of that night and some video of him. Is that 88 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: going to be a large part of the either prosecution 89 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: or defense case. I think it's going to be an 90 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:56,160 Speaker 1: essential part of the defense. The parties gave opening statements. 91 00:05:56,800 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: The defense wanted to show several pictures and videos of 92 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:04,480 Speaker 1: what was going on that night. In particularly, they selected 93 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 1: some pictures and videos that they say suggest that Mr. 94 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: Riddenhouse was in danger, that he was being chased by people. 95 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:15,920 Speaker 1: I know among the more provocative photos or some of 96 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 1: the photos of individuals with skateboards winging or trying to 97 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: hit Mr. Ridden House. The state very much objected to 98 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: those being included in the opening, but the defense was 99 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 1: very adamant. So as Rittenhouse ran away from the scene, 100 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:36,040 Speaker 1: a criminal complaints states that he told someone on the phone, 101 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:41,239 Speaker 1: I just killed somebody. Does that have any impact it? Could? 102 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:43,839 Speaker 1: You know? Once again, it could be evidence of what 103 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: his state of mind was around the time of the shooting. 104 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: You're absolutely right. I believe after the shooting of the 105 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 1: first decedent, Mr Riddenhouse got on the phone and called 106 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:58,920 Speaker 1: and told somebody that he had shot somebody. You know, 107 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: that will be evidence to what his state of mind 108 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 1: was at that time around when he pulled the trigger, 109 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: but it won't necessarily be depositive of one issue. Well, 110 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: the jury year that video of ritten House explaining why 111 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 1: he was there on the night of the shooting, so 112 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 1: it will probably come in, but you know, it may 113 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 1: actually come in for the defense. Mr Rittenhouse says a 114 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 1: couple of things, but he basically says, I'm here to 115 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: defend property and to defend human lives. But he also 116 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 1: makes clear that he brought a mad kit with him, 117 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 1: and so that's been part of the defense narrative the 118 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: entire time, that he was actually there to help to 119 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 1: do good. In the video, Mr Rittenhouse suggests that he 120 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 1: brought the medicis specifically me to help anyone who had 121 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 1: been hurt, and he sort of says at the end, 122 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 1: I also have a gun in case I need to 123 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: defend myself while I'm helping. So, you know, I think 124 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 1: for many people that video is actually evidence that he 125 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 1: came here to do good and to help others, and 126 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 1: to help others, The biggest question in the defense is 127 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 1: whether or not the defendant is going to testify. Do 128 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: you think in this case, in order to show that 129 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 1: he really feared for his life, that he should take 130 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 1: the stand. In the United States, the defendant almost always 131 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,679 Speaker 1: is the person who testifies last. They're the closing act, 132 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: and so generally defense attorneys don't make up their mind 133 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: about whether defendant will testify until relatively late into the trial. 134 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 1: You know, there's always tremendous risk putting your client on 135 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 1: the span. I suspect if the defense feels fairly confident 136 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: based upon their witnesses and based upon the pictures and 137 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 1: videos that they've shown, that they've got a sympathetic jury, 138 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 1: he probably will not testify. But you can imagine there's 139 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 1: tremendous risk about putting a seventeen year old on the 140 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:54,479 Speaker 1: stand in this type of case. You know, the prosecutor, 141 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:56,560 Speaker 1: I'm sure would be chomping at the bit for the 142 00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 1: opportunity to cross examine a young man who came here 143 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: definitely for audiological reasons and ended up killing two people 144 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: and wounding a third. So that brings up two questions 145 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 1: of mine. First of all, the look of the defendant. 146 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 1: The jury is going to be staring at this teenager. 147 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 1: He has a baby face. He doesn't look much like 148 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 1: a killer, and that's too that you know, that's obviously 149 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:27,319 Speaker 1: to his benefit. Um. You know, one of the things 150 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: that I think a lot of people have been paying 151 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:33,720 Speaker 1: attention to is, you know, he's a very young looking 152 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 1: I believe he's now eighteen. The shooting happened when he 153 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: was seventeen. But you know, he has a very he's 154 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 1: a baby faced, young white man. And the jury here, 155 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: I think, is predominantly, if not overwhelmingly white, So I 156 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:52,440 Speaker 1: think that there's a possibility that some jurors will see 157 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 1: themselves and see their children in him. I was surprised 158 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 1: that the jury is, except for one man, it does 159 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 1: appear to be an all white jury. That surprised me 160 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 1: that there's no racial diversity at all on the jury. So, uh, 161 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 1: you know, the juries often reflect their communities, and uh, 162 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 1: Kenosha is a largely white community. You know, my understanding 163 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 1: that there were a couple of people of color who 164 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 1: were who were considered, Um, you know, we don't know 165 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 1: specifically who we weren't able to see jurors, and there 166 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:27,839 Speaker 1: has been a lot of reporting about, you know, which 167 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:31,199 Speaker 1: jurors of colors were dismissed and why. But I wasn't 168 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: terribly surprised that in the community like Kenosha, which you know, 169 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 1: it is diversifying, like a lot of Wisconsin. But I 170 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 1: do think at least it's very much still perceived and 171 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 1: very much probably is a majority white community. Well, the 172 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 1: jury here about his background, the causes he supported. I 173 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 1: suspect that it will. You know, part of the narrative 174 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:56,839 Speaker 1: that the state will try to build is that Mr 175 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:01,679 Speaker 1: Rittenhouse was in some ways of digil auntie. He very 176 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 1: much was a supporter of Blue Lives Matter. He had 177 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 1: posted a lot on social media supporting police officers. You know, 178 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: he also had recently graduated from sort of a junior 179 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,960 Speaker 1: police academy, something for teams where the police offer some 180 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:24,400 Speaker 1: instructions on young people on what law enforcement does. You know, 181 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 1: I suspect those things will sort of very much come in. 182 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:30,040 Speaker 1: What I wonder will come in is you know, he 183 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 1: was a very adamant supporter of President Trump. I think 184 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 1: he was very much influenced by the President's language during 185 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 1: this time where the president was villainizing many peaceful, peaceful 186 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 1: protesters that may not come in. But I do very 187 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: much think that, you know, his past support and his 188 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: sort of adamant support of Blue Lives Matter will most 189 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,559 Speaker 1: likely the jury will most likely see it. The judge 190 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 1: fan prosecutors from referring to the men shot by Ritten 191 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:05,840 Speaker 1: House as victims, but he said defense lawyers can refer 192 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 1: to the men as looters or rioters as long as 193 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:11,959 Speaker 1: there's evidence. So obviously that's been one of the more 194 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 1: controversial pre trial rulings that the court has made. I 195 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:19,240 Speaker 1: don't think it's all that unusual for defense attorneys to 196 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 1: ask that the two men who were shot and killed, 197 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 1: and that the third man who was wounded, Um, it's 198 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:29,240 Speaker 1: not unusual for defense attorneys at least to ask that 199 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 1: those individuals not be called victims. You know, victims tends 200 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 1: to be a very very loaded word in our society. Um. 201 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:40,679 Speaker 1: You know, it implies to some degree that the individuals 202 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:45,760 Speaker 1: who were harmed were harmed as a result of wrongdoing. 203 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:49,440 Speaker 1: And you know, in this case where self defense is 204 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 1: so pivotal to the question that the jury is being 205 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 1: asked to decide, you can understand why the defense would 206 00:12:57,080 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: want to portray Mr. Rittenhouse as the victim in these 207 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 1: three individuals, two of whom were shot and killed, one 208 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: who was wounded, that they were the aggressors. And so, 209 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:09,680 Speaker 1: you know, I wasn't terribly surprised that the defense made 210 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:12,840 Speaker 1: that motion, and the court has had that has been 211 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 1: there sort of long existing policy not to use the 212 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:19,440 Speaker 1: word victim for the similar reasons. You know. I think 213 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:22,800 Speaker 1: what's more interesting is that the court did decide to 214 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:27,600 Speaker 1: permit the defense to potentially use the words you know, 215 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 1: looters and rioters. But the court said is that, you know, 216 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:34,560 Speaker 1: if the defense is putting up enough evidence in the 217 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:38,720 Speaker 1: record that these individuals were engaged in looting or rioting 218 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: or arson or things like that, then towards closing, the 219 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:45,920 Speaker 1: defense could use those type of words. Part of its 220 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:51,319 Speaker 1: almost constitutionals the defendant has the right to present his defense, 221 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:55,560 Speaker 1: and part of presenting his defense is you know, being 222 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 1: able to portray in this case, the two individuals that 223 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 1: were shot the one who was wounded, it in this lens, 224 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 1: and so the judge had to be particularly sensitive to 225 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:08,960 Speaker 1: not infringing upon Mr. Riddenhouse is right to present a 226 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 1: defense and his right to sort of present a narrative. 227 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 1: As he sees, part of what makes this case interesting 228 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 1: is that Mr. Riddenhouse, I think, wants to portray almost 229 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:24,960 Speaker 1: everybody who was there that evening as some type of threat. 230 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: You know, I think Mr. Riddenhouse was inspired in part 231 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:32,720 Speaker 1: by the President's rhetoric that was accusing all of protesters, 232 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 1: all Black Lives Matter protesters in particular, as writers and 233 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 1: ANTIFA and as stubs. You know, the defense will point 234 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 1: out that many of the individuals there that night were 235 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:50,320 Speaker 1: there in defiance of the curfew. The status quick to 236 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: point out that Mr. Ridden House was also there well 237 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:57,040 Speaker 1: past the curfew. So I think we're gonna have to 238 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: wait and see what exactly the defense will say about 239 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: these three individuals. You know, one of the things about 240 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 1: Wisconsin laws that the defense doesn't necessarily have to signal 241 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 1: all the details of their plans. But at this point, 242 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 1: I haven't seen that these three individuals were looters or rioters. 243 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 1: But that doesn't mean that, of course, the Wridhouse team 244 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:20,000 Speaker 1: won't try to paint them all with the same brush. 245 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 1: Thanks so much. That's Professor Stephen Wright of the University 246 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 1: of Wisconsin Law School. Historic confirmation allowed President Biden to 247 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: flip the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. He now has 248 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 1: three appointees on the Second Circuit, all women, giving the 249 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:41,680 Speaker 1: court a majority of Democratic appointees, and he has more 250 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:45,040 Speaker 1: seats left to fill. It's an important step for Biden 251 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 1: in making an impact on the federal courts. During his administration, 252 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 1: Donald Trump flipped the Second Circuit to a majority of 253 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 1: Republican appointees. The Second Circuit covers New York, Connecticut, and Vermont, 254 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:01,000 Speaker 1: and he's a chief venue for cases involving corporations in 255 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: Wall Street. Joining me is Carl Tobias, professor at the 256 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 1: University of Richmond School of Law. The Senate confirmed Beth 257 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 1: Robinson to the Second Circuit this week. So tell us 258 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 1: about her and why that's historic. Well, it's historic because 259 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 1: she's the first lbgt Q person to ever be appointed 260 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: to the federal appellate bench. Uh and she has been 261 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 1: a judge for a decade on the Vermont Supreme Court 262 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: and is highly respected. And before that, she was an 263 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:41,240 Speaker 1: advocate for lb g t Q rights both in the 264 00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 1: state legislature and in the courts, and one some major 265 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 1: victories on both fronts um and so she is now 266 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 1: going to sit on the Second Circuit which, of course, 267 00:16:55,160 --> 00:17:00,160 Speaker 1: here's many important disputes involving all kinds of commercial and 268 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 1: other matters. She already has great experience as a judge 269 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 1: for a decade on an appeals court, and so she'll 270 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 1: be able to do a fine job. And her confirmation 271 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:18,200 Speaker 1: flips the Second Circuit back to a majority of Democratic appointees. Yes, 272 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:23,080 Speaker 1: because Peter Hall, who died in whose position she's assuming, 273 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 1: was an appointee of a Republican president, and so it 274 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:33,399 Speaker 1: does change that back, and so that's important to some people. 275 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 1: Biden now has three appointees on the Second Circuit, all women, 276 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:43,320 Speaker 1: and he has the opportunity to fill another seat, two 277 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:48,840 Speaker 1: more seats. Yes, for if you remember a couple of 278 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:56,680 Speaker 1: weeks ago, Judge Cabranis and Judge Pooler both said they 279 00:17:56,680 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 1: were attending the same senior status. So there are two 280 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:04,080 Speaker 1: more vacancies. Is it happening on the second Circuit because 281 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 1: for many years it was a majority Democratic appointees and 282 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: they were holding out until a Democratic president was elected. 283 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 1: Well maybe to some extent though Judge cabran is considered 284 00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 1: pretty moderate judge and something even considering conservative, but uh, 285 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 1: And Judge Poohler is one of the more liberal members 286 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:30,439 Speaker 1: of the Court, I believe, but I think that to 287 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 1: some extent that is what happened. But it has just 288 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 1: been a situation where people are now assuming senior status. 289 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 1: Though in other appeals courts, I think some of the 290 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 1: Democratic appointees, for example, in the Ninth Circuit, may have 291 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 1: been waiting for a Democratic president to name their successors. 292 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:55,120 Speaker 1: So Robinson received support from two Republican Women's Senators, Susan 293 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 1: Collins and Lisa Murkowski. The Senate also confirmed former Virginia 294 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:02,679 Speaker 1: Sitor General Toby Heightens to the Fourth Circuit, and he 295 00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: got support from four Republicans. Tell us about him well, 296 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 1: He had clerked for Chief Judge Becker on the Third 297 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:16,680 Speaker 1: Circuit and Justice Ruth Vader Ginsburg, and then had taught 298 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 1: for a long time at the University of Virginia School 299 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 1: of Law and also worked in the US Solicitor General's 300 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:27,040 Speaker 1: Office for a period of two or three years, and 301 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:30,280 Speaker 1: then has been teaching off and on at the University 302 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 1: of Virginia, his alma mater, and was appointed Solicitor General 303 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: in Virginia in and won some big cases. They're the 304 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 1: one involving the Lee Monument and another big redistricting case 305 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 1: in the Supreme Court, and so he's considered to be 306 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:54,200 Speaker 1: a consummate appellate advocate and certainly knows his way around 307 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 1: the federal appellate courts. So he is a great addition 308 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:03,119 Speaker 1: to the Fourth Circuit. Do you remember how many circuits 309 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: Trump flipped three? I believe I think second, third, and 310 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:11,920 Speaker 1: eleven and the third and eleventh. Have there been any 311 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 1: appointments my biden to them, not so far, though there 312 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:23,640 Speaker 1: will be one because Beverley Martin from Georgia retired about 313 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:27,280 Speaker 1: a month or two ago, and so there's a vacancy there, 314 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:31,800 Speaker 1: and there's a vacancy in the third Circuit, for which 315 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:37,439 Speaker 1: the President nominated Judge Stark on the Delaware District bench 316 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:44,439 Speaker 1: to that vacancy in Delaware will slip anything. I don't 317 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 1: think it's enough yet because I believe Trump appointed four 318 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,960 Speaker 1: people to that court, So it may not flip yet, 319 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 1: but it could in the future. Carl Lucy Co, who 320 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 1: is currently a district court judge in the Northern District 321 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 1: of California, was nominated to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. 322 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 1: Where does that nomination stand. I believe she had a 323 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:11,399 Speaker 1: committee vote last week and so she's on the floor, 324 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 1: and so I think would be the next appellate nominee 325 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:19,080 Speaker 1: who could be confirmed. And my guess is that that 326 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: will happen perhaps later this week or next week before 327 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:31,000 Speaker 1: they recess for Veterans Day. Uh though I believe Jennifer 328 00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:36,680 Speaker 1: Sung from the Oregon for the ninth Circuit was nominated 329 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 1: before Code, So maybe both of those will be paired 330 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 1: like Robinson and Heightens were, maybe you know, going leaving 331 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:49,440 Speaker 1: on Thursday cloture vote that I haven't seen its schedule yet, 332 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:52,199 Speaker 1: and then the Monday they come back, which would be 333 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:55,400 Speaker 1: the following week, the two of them might be confirmed together. So, 334 00:21:55,560 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 1: in supporting Co's nomination, Republican Senator Chuck grab Slee said 335 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:03,479 Speaker 1: he wanted to note that he had reservations about her 336 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 1: approach and reasoning in a number of cases, and one 337 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 1: was a case about home worship during the pandemic that 338 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:14,640 Speaker 1: was later overturned by the Supreme Court. Tell us about 339 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:16,960 Speaker 1: that and whether that might have any effect on her 340 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: confirmation votes, Well, I don't think so, because I think 341 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: Democrats have a majority, and she did come out of 342 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 1: committee and Rathly actually supported her in two thousand and 343 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 1: sixteen when she was a nominee of President Obama for 344 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:36,960 Speaker 1: the Ninth Circuit, and so we'll see what he does 345 00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 1: on the floor. Um. But Senators Holly and Crews were 346 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 1: concerned about the case, but she said she was following 347 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:52,960 Speaker 1: Ninth Circuit precedent, and the panel to which the party's 348 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:56,359 Speaker 1: appealed on the Ninth Circuit agreed with her. Two of 349 00:22:56,400 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 1: the appointees are Republican appointees that she would just following 350 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 1: circuit precedent. Then the Supreme Court split five four, with 351 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 1: Chief Justice Roberts, the Sante and the other Democratic appointees agreeing. 352 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:13,879 Speaker 1: So it was a very close case. But in any event, 353 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:19,400 Speaker 1: the GOP senators were concerned that she was not sufficiently 354 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 1: respectful of precedent, though she pointed out she was obligated 355 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 1: to follow the Nice Circuit precedent and the issue of 356 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:29,720 Speaker 1: religious freedom and that she hadn't given it enough weight. 357 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 1: I read that last week was the busiest week yet 358 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:39,000 Speaker 1: for Biden's judicial confirmations. Yes, there were I believe six 359 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:42,680 Speaker 1: district judges confirmed last week, and then the cloture folks 360 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:47,479 Speaker 1: for Robinson and Heightened were last week, so it was 361 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 1: very busy. And this week is very busy because we 362 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: had a hearing today for six people, one nice circuit 363 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:57,160 Speaker 1: dominee and a couple from California and one from Minnesota 364 00:23:57,160 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 1: and one from New Mexico. So it has been busy, 365 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:03,240 Speaker 1: and then tomorrow a couple of people will be up 366 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:08,359 Speaker 1: for committee votes. Who's the ninth circuit nominee? Gabriel Sanchez 367 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:15,000 Speaker 1: from California had his hearing today. He is on the 368 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 1: Intermediate Appellate Court in California, and he served in Governor 369 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:28,399 Speaker 1: Jerry Brown's administration and was questioned today by the GOLP 370 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 1: senators about his role in Prop fifty seven, which had 371 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:38,240 Speaker 1: to do with system set up to release certain prisoners 372 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 1: because of prison overcrowding in California, and GOP senators questioned 373 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:47,639 Speaker 1: him about that, uh, And they also questioned him about 374 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:52,359 Speaker 1: his being an advocate in his policy preferences and that 375 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:55,840 Speaker 1: type of thing on the bench, and he very ably 376 00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:59,920 Speaker 1: and candidly said, I know the difference in being an 377 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:06,119 Speaker 1: advocate or implementing policy and being a dispassionate, neutral arbitrator 378 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:09,120 Speaker 1: as a judge. And I thought he gave very compelling 379 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:13,120 Speaker 1: testimony to that effect. Was it so busy last week? 380 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:17,479 Speaker 1: And this week because the Democrats are deliberately trying to 381 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 1: speed things up, considering the midterms are coming up. In 382 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:26,960 Speaker 1: what happened in the elections yesterday. Well, yes, but I 383 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:32,320 Speaker 1: think that the White Husband, President Biden, and Senate Judiciary 384 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 1: Committee have all been moving as expeditiously and carefully as 385 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,520 Speaker 1: they possibly can, uh in light of the fact that 386 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:44,439 Speaker 1: there's a possibility the Democrats would lose a very razor 387 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:47,760 Speaker 1: thin majority that they have in the Senate, and so 388 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:51,360 Speaker 1: they are moving quickly. As we said before, every two 389 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:54,160 Speaker 1: weeks there's a hearing with five or six nominees. Has 390 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:57,679 Speaker 1: happened today. The White House had a whole list of 391 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:03,440 Speaker 1: new nominees nine more uh in a batch today um 392 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:06,280 Speaker 1: so one for the third Circuit and then a number 393 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:10,640 Speaker 1: in California for District Bench, one in Maryland, and two 394 00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:13,280 Speaker 1: more New Jersey, which would fill all the vacancies there. 395 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:16,879 Speaker 1: So there especially, the White House is setting, as he 396 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 1: said before, priorities. If those two New Jersey nominees are confirmed, 397 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 1: all six of the emergency vacancies will have been filled. 398 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 1: Um and so I think they are very determined. As 399 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:34,520 Speaker 1: I've said before, is a well oiled, very efficient machine. 400 00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 1: That is moving nominees out of the White House in 401 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:43,680 Speaker 1: two the Judiciary Committee and then onto the floor so 402 00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:47,440 Speaker 1: we can see more. And I think Biden is going 403 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:50,760 Speaker 1: to be setting records. Um, there's a very good chance 404 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 1: that he could eclipse the most appellate judges ever appointed 405 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:58,760 Speaker 1: in the first year for President, breaking Trump's record. He 406 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:02,120 Speaker 1: had a dozen last year, and it certainly looks like 407 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:06,640 Speaker 1: there may well be a dozen this year, if not more, 408 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:09,640 Speaker 1: and so there's a chance he could could name thirteen 409 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:15,000 Speaker 1: and set a new record. Speaking of judicial emergencies, there 410 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:20,240 Speaker 1: were judicial emergencies in California, New Jersey, and Washington, but 411 00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:24,439 Speaker 1: Washington has had three vacancies filled. At the beginning of 412 00:27:24,560 --> 00:27:31,520 Speaker 1: Biden's tenure, there were five active judge ships vacant emergencies 413 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:35,159 Speaker 1: out of seven judge ships, and so that was a 414 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:38,400 Speaker 1: real problem for Washington State. But now they filled three 415 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:41,200 Speaker 1: of them. There's still two more emergencies, and I think 416 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:43,120 Speaker 1: it is a nominee for one of them. I guess 417 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 1: I would stress and emphasize just how effective the White 418 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 1: House has been all along and the Judiciary Committee, especially 419 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:58,320 Speaker 1: Chair Durban, in moving people to nomination, working with home 420 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:01,679 Speaker 1: state senators who moving him through the committee onto the 421 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:07,120 Speaker 1: floor and then final debates and vote, and they're focused 422 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:09,280 Speaker 1: like a laser on that and that's been a great 423 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:12,360 Speaker 1: success story for this administration. Thanks so much for being 424 00:28:12,359 --> 00:28:15,119 Speaker 1: on the show, Carl. That's Professor Carl Tobias of the 425 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:18,080 Speaker 1: University of Richmond Law School. And that's it for this 426 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:20,960 Speaker 1: edition of The Bloomberg Law Show. Remember you can always 427 00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:23,919 Speaker 1: get the latest legal news on our Bloomberg Law Podcast. 428 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:27,200 Speaker 1: You can find them on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and at 429 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:32,399 Speaker 1: www dot bloomberg dot com slash podcast Slash Law, and 430 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:35,200 Speaker 1: remember to tune into The Bloomberg Law Show every week 431 00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:38,880 Speaker 1: night at ten BM Wall Street Time. I'm June Grosso 432 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:40,600 Speaker 1: and you're listening to Bloomberg