Late-night host Stephen Colbert is suggesting laws should be changed after a jury found Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty on several homicide charges.
During a segment of his show on Monday night, Colbert said, “Cards on the table, I’m not a legal expert. So I can’t tell you whether or not Kyle Rittenhouse broke the law.”
“But I can tell you this, if he didn’t break the law, we should change the law. That seems simple,” he added.
His suggestion drew applause from the audience.
Colbert later said Rittenhouse was found not guilty, with air quotes around when he said the verdict.
Watch the video below:
Rittenhouse was charged with five felonies, including first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, attempted first-degree homicide, and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety.
In Aug. 2020, he traveled to Kenosha, Wisconsin, which was about 30 minutes from his hometown, amid protests that broke out in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake. He told the Daily Caller that he went to Kenosha to protect businesses.
Eventually, he was confronted by a group of people that set off a turn of events that led to him fatally shooting two people and injuring another.
Some commentators labeled the teenager a white supremacist after the shooting.
During his trial, Rittenhouse delivered emotional testimony and broke down in tears. He testified that he “didn’t do anything wrong” and acted in self-defense.
On Friday, a jury acquitted him on all charges. As the verdict was read, Rittenhouse broke down in tears and collapsed.
In a statement after the verdict, President Joe Biden said, “While the verdict in Kenosha will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included, we must acknowledge that the jury has spoken.”
He urged Americans “to express their views peacefully, consistent with the rule of law.”
