Prosecutors asked a judge Wednesday for a new arrest warrant for the now 18-year-old charged with shooting three people, killing two of them, during an anti-police protest in Wisconsin saying he violated his terms of release.
Kenosha County prosecutors alleged in a motion filed with Judge Bruce Schroede that Kyle Rittenhouse had allegedly moved addresses without notifying the court as required under his terms of release. The motion also asks Schroeder to increase Rittenhouse’s bail by $200,000.
However, Rittenhouse’s legal team, led by Mark Richards say the teen had been moved to a secret ‘safe house’ ahead of his murder trial after receiving death threats, The Daily Mail reported. The legal defense team claimed that a ‘high ranking’ member of the Kenosha Police Department previously told them to deliberately list a false address on court papers in order to protect him. Richards believes the defense should be able to keep the location of where the teen is staying a secret, in the interests of his safety.
Richards also claimed that prosecutors knew more than two months ago that Rittenhouse had changed residence and agreed to the current $2 million bail, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, has maintained he acted in self-defense and surrendered to police the day after, but was released after he posted a $2 million bond. Conservative groups covered the expense, according to AP.
“He posted no money so he has no financial stake in the bond,” prosecutors said in their motion Wednesday. “He is already facing the most serious possible criminal charges and life in prison, so in comparison, potential future criminal penalties are insignificant.”