Last Updated on September 3, 2020
Kyle Rittenhouse and his legal team are both receiving death threats and threats of violence according to L. Lin Wood, the former attorney for Covington Catholic student Nick Sandmann who is now part of the legal team for the 17-year-old Kenosha teen, who is accused of shooting three men defensively during the Kenosha riots.
Wood, the world class libel and defamation lawyer who became involved with the Rittenhouse case after reviewing videos of the events on social media, posted evidence of the death threats to Twitter on Thursday morning.
“I am receiving numerous death threats against Kyle Rittenhouse,” wrote Wood. “Threats are now being made against me, my family, & my colleagues.”
Wood continued, “I want Kyle to be safe. I will not be intimidated. I am fearless.” He added that he “will continue to speak the truth,” and “will #FightBack.”
I am receiving numerous death threats against Kyle Rittenhouse. Threats are now being made against me, my family, & my colleagues. Below is one example.
I want Kyle to be safe. I will not be intimidated. I am fearless. I will continue to speak truth. I will #FightBack. pic.twitter.com/SmUYrSE4uQ
— Lin Wood (@LLinWood) September 3, 2020
Wood posted one death threat to Twitter, in which a man, writing almost entirely in all caps, wrote that Rittenhouse is a “piece of sh*t that will die in prison at the hands of a large black man.” The person, identified by Wood’s screen shot as Mike Smith, added “I will celebrate … buy drinks for everyone.”
The rambling email eventually reaches the point where the man writes “I hope and pray you and your whole family get ‘China Virus’ and dies, dies, dies.”
Rittenhouse recently released a video message to supporters from jail, thanking them for sending letters and supporting him, and asking them to stay strong as he prepares for his legal fight.
“It’s just amazing, I just want to thank all of you for all the mail I’ve been receiving, it’s been really helpful. I just wanna let you all know that I’m going to be out of here soon, stay strong and I hope to see you guys soon,” Rittenhouse concluded.
Attorney John Pierce added, “And I want to say that this is 100% self defense, and if this is not self defense for Kyle Rittenhouse, under these circumstances, then no one can protect themselves, no one can protect their family, and no one can protect their country.”
Rittenhouse stands accused of murdering two men after shooting erupted during rioting in Kenosha that followed the police involved shooting of a man suspected of rape who was refusing to cooperate with police and reaching for his car.
