Lawyer Withdraws Request to Join Kyle Rittenhouse’s Case After Prosecutor’s ‘Highly Unusual’ Objections

Yesterday, we reported about how accused Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse’s defense attorney Mark Richards filed a motion to dismiss two of the charges he was facing.

Kenosha County Circuit Court Commissioner Loren Keating rejected the motions, however, along with arguments that Rittenhouse acted in self-defense and found there was enough probable cause for the case to proceed to trial.

John Pierce, the Los Angeles attorney who has been the public face of Rittenhouse’s defense team along with Lin Wood, had filed to join the Richards to defend Rittenhouse in court, which was required since he is an out-of- state attorney.

Kenosha County prosecutor Thomas Binger took what ABC News called the “highly unusual” step of advocating against Pierce’s request for admission to the criminal case. Typically it is a procedural measure required of out-of-state lawyers that would be granted without objection.

In a six and a half page critique of Pierce and his potential role in the case, Binger cited numerous public statements by Pierce that he believed could “materially prejudic[e]” the case.

Binger also referenced reports of the collapse of Pierce’s law firm earlier this year “under a cloud of debt,” and several lawsuits alleging Pierce defaulted on hundreds of thousands of dollars in business and personal loans.

As the Gateway Pundit reported, Pierce will be taking over fundraising and preparing “defamation and other civil claims” that will be filed following a potential acquittal.

Pierce tweeted yesterday, “So that it does not take Kyle’s supporters by surprise, effective immediately I am taking over all civil matters for Kyle including his future defamation claims. I will also be orchestrating all fundraising for defense costs. The terrific Mark Richards will proceed in Wisconsin.”

So that it does not take Kyle’s supporters by surprise, effective immediately I am taking over all civil matters for Kyle including his future defamation claims. I will also be orchestrating all fundraising for defense costs. The terrific Mark Richards will proceed in Wisconsin.

— John Pierce (@CaliKidJMP) December 3, 2020

Today, Pierce tweeted about a response he received from Verizon Media about an opinion article published by Yahoo! Entertainment that referred to Rittenhouse as a “white domestic terrorist.” Verizon Media said they are “indemnified from claims related to this licensed content.”

Pierce said, “Well that’s nice that they are indemnified. I guess that means they can hope to get the tens or hundreds of millions of dollars we will take from them at trial refunded by someone. The lack of accountability and responsibility is mind-blowing.”

(1/3) Response from Verizon Media to retraction letter. They are adding zeroes to their liability by the day: "The article you wrote to us about appearing on Yahoo Entertainment displayed at: https://t.co/jV99gjdJQe, was licensed to Yahoo from Entertainment Studios Digital Media.

— John Pierce (@CaliKidJMP) December 4, 2020

(3/3) Well that's nice that they are indemnified. I guess that means they can hope to get the tens or hundreds of millions of dollars we will take from them at trial refunded by someone. The lack of accountability and responsibility is mind-blowing. #FreeKyleUSA

— John Pierce (@CaliKidJMP) December 4, 2020