Kyle Rittenhouse trial: Jury selection starts Monday

Kyle Rittenhouse trial: Jury selection begins Monday

Jury selection in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse begins Monday, Nov. 1, bringing national attention to Kenosha.

KENOSHA, Wis. - National attention comes to Kenosha on Monday, Nov. 1 as jury selection gets underway in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse.

The jury will ultimately decide if Rittenhouse is guilty of homicide, or if he was acting in self-defense, when he shot three people – killing two – in August 2020.

Three hundred people have been summoned for jury duty Monday at 9 a.m. – three times as many people as are summoned in an average week. It is one of the many preparations in place to make sure the Rittenhouse trial is run by the book.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

Kenosha County Clerk of Circuit Courts Rebecca Matoska-Mentink spent the last several months preparing for what will happen inside the courtroom.

"If this isn’t done right, then the trial is not going to go," Matoska-Mentink said.

Kyle Rittenhouse hearing in Kenosha County court

Matoska-Mentink is tasked with making sure the logistics of each trial go smoothly. High-profile trials, like the one for Rittenhouse, are something she has done before.

"It just takes a little extra planning, a lot of collaboration, communication with the judge and preparation between a lot of county facility staff, too," said Matoska-Mentink.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.

Seats in the courtroom have been assigned and marked for social distancing. There is a media room set up downstairs. The Kenosha County Sheriff's Department, IT staff, judge and clerk's office are all working together to create a plan.

"You prepare for the worst, and hope for the best," Matoska-Mentink said. "I’m hoping that people are going to be respectful – from the media to the citizens, it’s a beautiful courthouse. It’s a beautiful campus. We have a beautiful city here, and that this is just another case that just happens to have a lot of attention."

This weekend, the Kenosha Police Department tweeted their priority during the trial is the safety of everyone who calls Kenosha home.

Kenosha County Courthouse marks seats in preparation for Kyle Rittenhouse trial

Rittenhouse is charged with seven counts – including five felonies:

First-degree reckless homicide
First-degree intentional homicide
Attempted intentional homicide
Recklessly endangering safety (2 counts)

Defense attorneys plan to argue that Rittenhouse acted in self-defense when he shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, injuring Gaige Grosskreutz.

KYLE RITTENHOUSE TRIAL: Keep track of every development with FOX6 News

Featured

Kyle Rittenhouse trial: Courthouse security increased in Kenosha

article

Kyle Rittenhouse trial: Courthouse security increased in Kenosha

The trial of Kyle Rittenhouse begins on Monday, Nov. 1 – and there will be a noticeable increase in security around the courthouse in Kenosha County when jury selection gets underway.

Featured