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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has ordered 500 National Guard troops to be on standby outside the Kenosha County Courthouse as a verdict is expected to soon be reached in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial on Monday (November 15), CNN reports.
The polarizing trial has already had several notable incidents take place inside the courtroom last week and Gov. Evers is bracing for a strong reaction to a verdict.
"The Kenosha community has been strong, resilient, and has come together through incredibly difficult times these past two years, and that healing is still ongoing," Evers said in a statement obtained by CNN on Friday (November 12). "I urge folks who are otherwise not from the area to please respect the community by reconsidering any plans to travel there and encourage those who might choose to assemble and exercise their First Amendment rights to do so safely and peacefully."
Rittenhouse, 18, shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, while also wounding Gaige Grosskreutz, using an AR-15-type rifle during protests and demonstrations stemming from protests over the officer-involved shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin on August 25, 2020.
Rittenhouse faces five felony charges and a misdemeanor weapons charge, which includes the possibility of up to a life in prison if convicted of his most serious charge against him.
The charges include first-degree reckless homicide while using a dangerous weapon, first-degree recklessly endangering safety while using a dangerous weapon, attempted first-degree intentional homicide while using a dangerous weapon and attempted first-degree recklessly endangering safety while using a dangerous weapon.
Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder, the judge in the homicide trial faced backlash after making a racial joke about Asian food during the courtroom session last week, as well as accusations of having a bias based on several incidents that have taken place throughout the trial.
The judge angrily chastised the prosecution last Wednesday (November 10) and has disallowed the individuals shot by Rittenhouse to be referred to as "victims," but allowed the terms "rioters," "looters" and "arsonists" to be used in the courtroom.
Schroeder also silenced his ringtone, which appeared to be 'God Bless the USA' by Lee Greenwood, a rally song used by former President Donald Trump, during the court session this week.
Schroeder has not addressed the backlash from Thursday's comment, which took place one week after he dismissed a juror for making a joke about the police shooting of Blake, claiming, "It’s clear that the appearance of bias is present and it would seriously undermine the outcome of the case" at the time of the dismissal.
Closing arguments in the Rittenhouse trial are scheduled to take place on Monday.