I'm really trying to do what I can to make things better but social media seems to be causing everyone to dig in with hatred towards anyone with a different analysis of the situation even though we have shared values and goals. If we can't agree on what transpired, we can't work together to prevent future tragedies. If you mistakenly try to fix the wrong problem (like "Kyle is a murderer,") it's like changing your bike tire when you have a flat on your car. You won't get far.

To put him on the stand, they must have seen him as I do. If you want to continue to believe the negative characterization promoted by the very media that makes millions of dollars off these divisions they create, feel free to do so. I prefer to seek the truth, and I hope other viewers do also. If I'm wrong, please someone post a picture that validates the corporate media's depiction of the events. Find any picture of Kyle "brandishing his weapon" (waving it around). Post any video of him approaching Rosenbaum that might contradict the other videos that show Rosenbaum attacking Kyle from behind. Thousands of videos and pictures were taken that night. Surely if the corporate media is right, there are pictures or testimony or something to back up their claims. The FBI infrared video shows the entire event: Rosenbaum went after Kyle without provocation and may have even been hiding in wait. And no, having a weapon to stop rioters from hurting you is not provocation or reasonable grounds for attacking Kyle. Kyle wisely ran away (retreated) from the aggressive Rosenbaum. It wasn't until Rosenbaum had cornered Kyle and Rosenbaum's friend or associate Josh Ziminski fired the weapon he had been carrying around all night (yep, that's on video too) that Kyle turned and defended himself against a vicious man who had earlier called him a F@cking N-word. That's the evidence the jury saw and I hope those of you who are down-rating me can set aside your bias and look at it too.

From there it spirals badly with the other men attacking Kyle as he tries to run to the police. The video evidence indicates that each of the shootings were also justified self-defense. If a malicious angry man screams that he's going to kill me, I'd take him at his word. I wouldn't ever want to take a life but I would have done so in each of those instances that young teenager found himself in. Yes, an adult in his life should have told Kyle he shouldn't be there, he was too young to handle dangerous adult angry men. But Kyle's attorneys were able to show the jury who he was and who actually started this deadly conflict. Not surprisingly, the four men who attacked him all had violent criminal backgrounds.

No, Jondee, before you put words in my mouth again, I do not believe any of these men "had it coming," as you said. I specifically said the opposite. None of them "deserved" to be shot, only that their criminal histories and violent past help us make sense of what happened that night. Acknowledging what happened and why helps us to avoid this kind of tragedy in the future.

Given all this evidence, I think the defense attorneys knew their client is a good kid who was there with the intention to help. Even after multiple physical attacks on him, Kyle had the restraint to lower his rifle when the final attacker, Gaige Grosskreutz, stopped chasing him and put his empty hands in the air. Turns out Kyle's not a racist murderer after all! Unfortunately, Grosskreutz decided to attack him after all, drawing his loaded, unregistered Glock from where it was illegally hidden under his shirt and rushed Kyle as he lay on the ground, pointing the gun at his head. But don't take my word for it. Check out Grosskreutz own testimony when the excellent defense attorney got him to contradict what he told the police (he claimed he hadn't chased Kyle and he didn't have a gun in his hand) simply by showing him the picture of him with his Glock pointed at Kyle's head. Clear self-defense again. I think the defense knew the evidence was sound and that showing who this kid is was what they needed to get it that other bad actors caused the problem, not the naive teenager just trying to protect his community.

All of this information is available if you listen to the testimony and look at the video evidence, especially material I've referred to. But you'll have to read my comments quickly because some folks here are very invested in others not being exposed to the facts of this case. I think the defense did an excellent job, and putting Kyle on the stand clinched it.

I hope many who see this re-assess and reject both Left and Right wing corporate-owned media distortions and lies. What if people continue to forward and promote these dishonest, discredited memes about Kyle and they result in attacks on the jury members or Kyle's family, the attorneys, court staff or for that matter, white people in general. Or brown people who don't agree with violent protests. I've seen white people call other white people racist for putting out fires at protests! That's out of control misplaced and misguided anger. Given the hostility out there, I think our future is grim.

I have no doubt that Rittenhouse was in fear for his life, IMO he is a coward, as many of these gun humpers are.