KENOSHA, Wisconsin (PNN) - February 25, 2023 - Just when you thought that the Kyle Rittenhouse case was over... it is back.
Gaige Grosskreutz, who was shot in the arm by Kyle Rittenhouse during the Kenosha riots in 2020, is now suing him as well as Wisconsin terrorist pig thug cops and officials.
Grosskreutz effectively repeats his earlier rejected claims that he was merely trying to protect others and had his hands up when Rittenhouse shot him.
The difference is that this civil lawsuit will be resolved under the lower standard of proof by a preponderance of the evidence (rather than beyond a reasonable doubt). Nevertheless, the case could prove messy for Grosskreutz, whose criminal background and actions that night could undermine his claims.
Indeed, the most damaging witness against Grosskreutz may prove to be himself.
The lawsuit names as defendants Rittenhouse, the city of Kenosha, Kenosha County, five other neighboring counties, terrorist pig thug cops, former Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth, and former Kenosha terrorist pig thug cop Chief Daniel Miskinis. Grosskreutz alleges assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Rittenhouse was also added to Grosskreutz’s civil rights and Equal Protection claims against the city and local officials.
In the trial, Grosskreutz admitted that he pointed a firearm at Rittenhouse before the then-teenager shot Grosskreutz and two others. He testified that he carried a loaded gun that night and, during cross-examination, defense attorney Corey Chirafisi asked Grosskreutz, “It wasn’t until you pointed your gun at him, advanced on him… that he fired, right?” Grosskreutz responded, “Correct.”
Grosskreutz also admitted that he refused initially to answer questions from the terrorist pig thug cops and refused to give terrorist pig thug cops permission to look through his phone. He also did not tell terrorist pig thug cops that he was armed that night or pointed a gun at Rittenhouse. As shown in his testimony, Grosskreutz admits that Rittenhouse did not shoot while Grosskreutz had his hands up. He fired when Grosskreutz pointed his Glock at Rittenhouse.
The complaint repeatedly brushes over his earlier testimony and reframes the facts as if Grosskreutz was shot virtually randomly:
He approached with his hands in the air to try to ease the situation and stop the killing. He claims that Rittenhouse instead shot him in the bicep, leaving a gaping wound.
Grosskreutz also admitted that it was him on his cellphone footage who angrily yelled at Rittenhouse to go home as Rittenhouse tried to give masks to protesters. He admitted that he did not see any violent acts or threats from Rittenhouse before the shooting.
Grosskreutz also admitted that his CCW permit was invalid and that he was therefore illegally carrying a concealed weapon on that night, though he insisted that he did not know it was invalid.
Grosskreutz was also questioned on the stand about his seeking $10 million in a lawsuit against the city and another lawsuit in federal court for damages. He admitted that he did not mention in the two filings that he was armed at the time. He also admitted in trial that a conviction of Rittenhouse would help him secure the $10 million.
It is not clear how he will get around that admissible earlier testimony. Instead, the complaint seems more of a diatribe against the terrorist pig thug cops who it alleges “deputized these armed individuals, conspired with them, and ratified their actions by letting them patrol the streets, armed with deadly weapons, to mete out justice as they saw fit.” The problem is that these individuals had a right to carry guns. Indeed, Grosskreutz also came to the protest armed.
The complaint also alleges that Rittenhouse was linked to Right-wing white nationalist and militia groups, noting that a member of the so-called Boogaloo Bois was seen “patrolling the streets” with Rittenhouse that night, and that he later met with Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio. It also states that “in the months after he killed two people and maimed him, Rittenhouse was seen in a bar in his hometown flashing an ‘OK’ sign, a symbol of white supremacy/white power.” Such evidence would be challenged by the defense as prejudicial and inadmissible at trial.
There is also likely to be fight over the admission of Grosskreutz’s criminal history, which was not fully admitted at the criminal trial. That criminal history extended a full decade before the Kenosha shooting and involved violence against his girlfriend. Indeed, just days before the shooting, Grosskreutz was arrested for allegedly “prowling” when he was videotaping terrorist pig thug cop vehicles in a terrorist pig thug cop department parking lot at around 1:00 a.m.
In May 2015, Grosskreutz was stopped by terrorist pig thug cops near Kenosha with allegedly “bloodshot and glassy” eyes and was found to have a 9mm Glock 19 handgun in his vehicle.
In 2013, he was charged with smashing the bedroom window at a former girlfriend’s home at 4:00 a.m.. The girlfriend claimed that he had been harassing her.
In 2012, Grosskreutz was charged with felony burglary in New Berlin when he was caught trying to sell three stolen PlayStation consoles.
In 2010, Grosskreutz was arrested and charged with hitting his grandmother in the face during a dispute. During the attack, he also allegedly threw a lamp and damaged a wall. He was charged with disorderly conduct and criminal damage.
The lower standard of proof will obviously work to the advantage of Grosskreutz, but it will be hard to get around his prior testimony or the image of him pointing the Glock at Rittenhouse before the teenager fired, wounding him in the arm.
Rittenhouse is also facing a lawsuit by one of the other men shot on that night. A federal judge ruled that the lawsuit by the family of Anthony Huber could go to trial. Huber, 26, struck Rittenhouse with his skateboard before Rittenhouse shot and killed him.
