For USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
No matter what a person’s views are about Kyle Rittenhouse or the outcome of his jury trial, reasonable minds should be able to agree on one fundamental concept — that no matter the person on trial or what the person is accused of doing, it is extremely dangerous and potentially harmful, not only to a person’s due process right to a fair trial, but also to our justice system generally, for spectators of any trial to spread falsehoods or misleading information about a case.
The Rittenhouse trial was one of the most politically polarizing jury trials in Wisconsin history. Without regard to the actual facts of the case, a simple review of social media and cable news shows revealed that a person’s political preferences often determined whether the person believed Rittenhouse was innocent or guilty, whether the person believed Rittenhouse had a “right” to be in Kenosha on the date of the incident, and whether the person believed Rittenhouse was a villain or a hero.
Unfortunately, some spectators of the trial spread false information or made unproven claims about the case, on the internet and on media outlets. False or misleading information was disseminated about the case leading up to the trial and while the trial was going on — information that carried with it a risk of impacting Rittenhouse’s fundamental right to a fair trial, and information that had the effect of creating a false public perception about the case in some people’s minds and...
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