KENOSHA, Wis. — The trial of Kyle Rittenhouse began with the challenging task of seating jurors who haven't already made up their minds about the man who shot three people, killing two, during a violent night of protests in 2020.
The Chicago Tribunereports that 150 potential jurors arrived at the courthouse Monday for interviews. By the end of the day, the defense and prosecution agreed to seat 12 jurors and eight alternates.
Opening statements will begin Tuesday.
Rittenhouse was 17 when he traveled from his home in Illinois, just across the Wisconsin border, during protests that broke out in August 2020.
The protests were taking place after a police officer shot Jacob Blake, a Black man, in the back during a confrontation. Video of the shooting was viewed widely online. Blake survived the shooting but was paralyzed.
Rittenhouse has said he traveled to Kenosha to help business owners protect against looting that was taking place amid the protests. Rittenhouse shot and killed protesters Anthony M. Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum during those demonstrations and injured one other person.
According to CNN, Rittenhouse faces five felony charges: first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide, and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety. He faces life in prison if convicted on one of the homicide counts against him.
His defense team has argued that he fired in self-defense after protesters surrounded him.
Schroeder last week set the ground rules for the trial, including which videos were permissible as evidence. The trial is expected to last two to three weeks.
