Rittenhouse Judge Slams Mainstream Media Coverage of Trial as 'Frightening'
Judge Bruce Schroeder responds to media criticism of himself while addressing court
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The judge overseeing the murder trial of Kyle Rittenhouse has slammed the mainstream media's coverage of the case as “frightening.”
Judge Bruce Schroeder also responded to media criticism of himself throughout the trial.
While addressing the court on Wednesday, Schroeder noted reports critical of his pre-trial ruling to ban the prosecution from referring to the men shot by Rittenhouse as “victims.”
Schroeder noted that the ruling was not unusual at all when the client is claiming self-defense.
"How would you like to be put on trial for a crime and the judge introduced the case to the jury by introducing you as the defendant and the person who is accusing you as the ‘victim,'” the judge explained, according to The Daily Caller.
"And then throughout the trial, have all the references to the complaining witness as being the ‘victim’."
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"Is that so difficult to just use the term ‘complaining witness’, instead of pre-judging what the jury is here to determine, whether there is a victim and whether there was a crime committed?” Judge Schroeder added.
He further knocked the press for falsely claiming it was unusual for Rittenhouse, the defendant, to pick his own final 12 jurors by way of a raffle-style drum.
The Daily Caller reported:
“Finally, and I am now reading about how bizarre and unusual it was to have the defendant pick the numbers out of the tumbler yesterday,” Schroeder added, noting he began the practice following a case roughly 20 years ago during which he believed it’s best for defendants to pick the numbers so that they feel in control, and that he’s never had a complaint about it before but that some are dissatisfied with the procedure and “want to undermine the result of the trial.”
"Some of the other misinformation about the case … is widespread, and you gentlemen are aware of it as I am,” the judge blasted, speaking to defense and prosecution.
"I’m somewhat astounded, as it gets out into the general public, and I spoke about it on the first day of trial, the result of the trial should be open to public scrutiny and people should have confidence in the outcome of the trial,” he said.
"It’s just a shame that irresponsible statements are being made."
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"I think it’s shameful, some of the things that are being done to [these five attorneys] and when I talked about problems with the media, when this trial started, we’re there in part … because of grossly irresponsible handling of what comes out of this trial,” Schroeder added.
"I will tell you this, I’m going to think long and hard about live television in a trial again, next time, I don’t know.
"I’ve always been a firm believer in it because I think people should see what’s going on but what’s being done is really quite frightening.”
