Geeze, it took long enough, but I think we're finally getting somewhere.
While Wisconsin doesn’t impose a duty to retreat, juries are still allowed to consider whether a defendant had an opportunity to retreat to determine whether or not it was necessary to use deadly force in self-defense.
So first question: Did Rittenhouse have the opportunity to retreat when they were damaging buildings? Did he have the opportunity to retreat when they set a dumpster on fire? If you were there instead of Rittenhouse, would you swear on the Holy Bible there was nothing you could have done watching this that would have avoided a violent confrontation forcing you to use deadly force? When he went there and the riot was already going on, did he have the opportunity to retreat before he even got out of the car?
Second question from my links: However, if an individual provokes a confrontation, he/she has a duty to retreat. Self-defense can only be applied if he/she reasonably believes all means to escape from or otherwise avoid great bodily injury or death has been exhausted.
He did not provoke the rioters by cleaning up their graffiti? He did not provoke the rioters by putting out the fires they set? He did not provoke the rioters by trying to protect a car lot? The law apparently is HE DID have the duty to retreat since he provoked their actions. Because he didn't, he was not covered under self-defense laws in using a deadly weapon.
Now, if you are going to tell me he had no idea he was provoking these people, or had no opportunity to prevent putting himself in that situation forcing him to use deadly force, then I would say you're not that bright. Because if I were in that situation, I would have known how not to piss these people off. If I were in that situation, as soon as I seen trouble anywhere near me, I would have started my car and drove the hell out of there.
We had riots in downtown here as well. I didn't go near there so as not to put myself in the position of having to use deadly force. I told my then employer I refuse to take any deliveries or pickups downtown even though I was not allowed to be armed at work. I don't live in another state, I can get to downtown in about 15 minutes. I am part of this community because I live here, worked here, and pay a ton of taxes here. But I'm not going to act like a cop.
