Prosecutors in the Kyle Rittenhouse case are asking a judge to allow them to admit evidence showing the former Antioch resident has a violent past and is associated with the Proud Boys.
Rittenhouse, 18, was arrested for shooting and killing two people and injuring a third person during civil unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on August 25.
He was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, first-degree reckless homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide and possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18.
Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger filed a motion on Thursday asking the court to admit evidence that shows Rittenhouse assaulted a female in Kenosha on June 1, 2020.
Binger said the assault on the woman shows Rittenhouse’s “intent to cause bodily harm.” That incident stems from a video that surfaced on social media showing Rittenhouse with other teens near the lakefront in Kenosha.
Binger said that Rittenhouse involved himself in a heated argument between two girls by grabbing one of them and punching her in the back repeatedly.
He then chased the girl down as she ran and began punching her again repeatedly before bystanders stepped in to break up the incident, Binger said in the motion.
The motion also asked the court to allow the prosecution to admit evidence showing Rittenhouse’s association with the “Proud Boys organization, a violently racist organization.”
In late January, a judge modified Rittenhouse’s bond requirements barring the teen from consuming alcohol and from being around any hate groups after he was seen posing with members of the Proud Boys at a bar.
Surveillance photos showed Rittenhouse posing for pictures with the leaders of the Proud Boys organization while flashing their “OK” sign, Binger said.
Kenosha County Judge Bruce Schroeder has set a tentative trial date for November 1 but warned the trial could be delayed further.
Rittenhouse was released from the Kenosha County Jail on November 20 after posting a $2 million cash bond.
The teen is accused of traveling to Kenosha on August 25 during a night of civil unrest following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
Rittenhouse’s friend, Dominick Black, admitted to detectives that he purchased an AR-15 style rifle for Rittenhouse.
Prosecutors have said that Black asked Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time, to help him guard Car Source, a Kenosha car dealership, from looting and damage on the night of August 25.
The owner of Car Source has denied that he ever requested Rittenhouse or Black to help guard his business.
Rittenhouse shot three people, Anthony Huber, Gaige Grosskreutz, and Joseph Rosenbaum, killing two of them. Rittenhouse claimed the shootings were self-defense after the three of them attacked him.