MILWAUKEE – Earnell Lucas, Milwaukee County Sheriff and candidate for mayor of Milwaukee, today issued the following statement regarding the not guilty verdict of Kyle Rittenhouse:
“A jury in a Kenosha courtroom today found Kyle Rittenhouse, the armed Illinois teenager who killed two people and wounded another during social justice protests in Kenosha last summer, not guilty on all charges.
“As many people across the country feel deep disappointment in this verdict, I share your frustrations. The American system of jurisprudence is still the beacon of the world and it has spoken. We may not all agree with the verdict, but let us remember Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber, Gaige Grosskreutz, their families, and all who were impacted by the events in Kenosha.
“We must show restraint and remain calm – we all have the right to peacefully protest what we see as an injustice and we cannot take to violence to express our frustrations.
“Today’s verdict shines a light on the challenges we must address together, as a community. We must acknowledge the deep division that exists in our country and find ways to reset the standard for civility and justice. We must have real conversations about criminal justice reform that bring about honest change. Working together to achieve true equity across our diverse communities, we can unite in order to be the change we want to see, and all play an active role in bringing about that change.
“I urge us to continue working together as a nation to bring about liberty and justice for all.”
