Kyle Rittenhouse, who's charged with murder for fatal shootings during this week's unrest Kenosha, will remain in Lake County, Ill., for another month after a judge on Friday allowed a delay in his extradition proceedings.
The 30-day continuance came at a brief status hearing. His public defender asked the judge for the delay as Rittenhouse's family seeks a private attorney to represent him.
Kenosha County prosecutors on Thursday evening filed charges accusing Rittenhouse of first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, attempted first-degree intentional homicide and possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18.
An intentional homicide charge amounts to a first-degree murder charge in Illinois. The reckless homicide charge amounts to a second-degree murder charge here. If convicted of the first-degree intentional homicide charge as an adult, Rittenhouse could face a life sentence. Wisconsin does not have the death penalty.
Rittenhouse is accused of shooting the men Tuesday night as numerous civilians armed with rifles inserted themselves into violent demonstrations that raged for three nights in the city just over the Wisconsin border. The protests, clashes with police and fires followed an officer's shooting of Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, who according to a video appeared to have had his back turned to the cop who fired.
