Kyle Rittenhouse has agreed to allow the AR-15 style rifle he used to kill two people and wound a third during protests in Kenosha to be destroyed at a state crime lab in Wisconsin.
CNN reports that the plan was announced at a court hearing on Friday (Jan. 28) by Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger.
“The parties — the defense, the state, and also Dominick Black, who purchased that firearm — have all signed off on a stipulation whereby the Kenosha Police Department and Joint Services will destroy that firearm, as well as the magazine, and the scope,” Binger told Judge Bruce Schroeder. “It will not be in anyone’s possession.”
Rittenhouse, who was acquitted of five counts, including homicide in November, asked the court earlier this month for his gun and the clothing he wore the night of the shootings, so that he could destroy them — according to a court document filed by his attorney.
“I have discussed this with my client and it meets his goals, and we’re in agreement,” Rittenhouse’s defense attorney Mark Richards told the court.
Assistant District Attorney Binger mentioned that the “destruction will be recorded” and he plans to provide evidence of its destruction in a video once it is done.
“The state crime lab has machinery to destroy them. That will happen probably towards the end of April,” he said.
Rittenhouse’s clothing and cellphone were returned to Richards on Wednesday, CNN reports. He said that they will be mailed to Rittenhouse, who did not attend Friday’s (Jan. 28) hearing.
Judge Schroeder also informed the court that Rittenhouse will get to keep nearly $1 million of the $2 million crowd-funded bail money that he posted to stay out of jail during his homicide trial last year.
USA Today reports that the agreement allocates $920,000 in trust to Richards & Dimmer, the law firm that defended Rittenhouse, and another $925,000 will be given to the #FightBack Foundation. Actor Ricky Schroder will receive the $150,000 he contributed.
The Smith & Wesson M&P 15 rifle was purchased by Dominick Black at a hardware store in Rusk County, Wisconsin in May 2020. The then-18-year-old, who was reportedly dating Rittenhouse’s sister, gave it to Rittenhouse who was 17 at the time and legally unable to buy the firearm himself.
The gun was used as evidence at Rittenhouse’s trial, and as evidence in a separate case against Black.
The charges against Black were dismissed earlier this month after he accepted a plea deal and pleaded no contest to a non-criminal citation for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.