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FACT BRIEF

Did a Wisconsin judge allow a wrongful death lawsuit against Kyle Rittenhouse to proceed?

By Tom Kertscher
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YES

A federal judge in Wisconsin ruled Feb. 2, 2023 that a wrongful death lawsuit filed against Kyle Rittenhouse and Kenosha police and sheriff's officials can proceed.

Rittenhouse fatally shot two men and wounded another amid protests against police violence in Kenosha on Aug. 25, 2020.

Rittenhouse said he acted in self-defense, and was acquitted of all charges.

The federal judge held that the death of Anthony Huber, one of the men killed by Rittenhouse, "could plausibly be regarded as having been proximately caused by the actions of the government defendants." 

The lawsuit, filed by Huber's father, alleges that officers “deputized” Rittenhouse and other armed people, and “conspired with them (…) to mete out justice as they saw fit.”

Rittenhouse’s lawyers argued for the lawsuit to be dismissed, saying it “fails to plausibly allege” there was an agreement between Rittenhouse and officers.

See a full discussion of this at Wisconsin Watch
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Sources
AP News Lawsuit can proceed against Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse
Wisconsin Circuit Court Access State v. Rittenhouse
United States District Court | Eastern District of Wisconsin Milwaukee Division John Huber amended complaint
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Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.