In this screen grab from live stream video, Kyle Rittenhouse, left, appears with his attorney, Mark Richards during a hearing at Kenosha County Court in Kenosha, Wis., on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020. A court commissioner has ruled that there is sufficient evidence to warrant a trial for the Illinois teenager accused of killing two men during an August protest in Wisconsin.(Kenosha County Court via AP)
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UPDATED 1:10 PM PT – Sunday, December 5, 2020
An attorney for Kyle Rittenhouse withdrew from the teen’s legal defense.
Prosecutors raised questions about John Pierce’s handling of millions of dollars that were donated in support of Rittenhouse. According to reports, Pierce was facing serious financial problems before taking on the teen’s case.
This Oct. 30, 2020 photo provided by the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department shows Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha, Wis. Rittenhouse is accused of killing two protesters days after Jacob Blake was shot by police in Kenosha, Wis. earlier this year. (Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department via AP)
On Thursday, in response to calls to step down, the high-profile Los Angeles based attorney announced that he would be leaving the rest of the legal defense to Mark Richards. Instead, Pierce said he’ll be handling all civil matters for Rittenhouse, which includes future defamation claims.
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Attorney John Pierce @CaliKidJMP
THE KYLE RITTENHOUSE
Actor Ricky Schroder @rickyschroder13
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“Kyle has a constitutional right to have his lawyers be able to defend him in the court of public opinion, especially in a case like this in which he has essentially been vilified by much of the world,” Pierce said. “I think we were very successful in the first few weeks, in sort of flipping the narrative, ensuring that now most of the world now understands he is completely innocent.”
BEMIDJI, MN – SEPTEMBER 18: A man wears a shirt that says “Free Kyle”, referencing Kyle Rittenhouse, during a rally for President Donald Trump at the Bemidji Regional Airport on September 18, 2020 in Bemidji, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Kenosha prosecutors have also raised ethical concerns about the donation fund. They accused it of being a “slush fund” and argue the money should be placed in a trust fund to protect its integrity.
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