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Culture War Roundup for the week of November 6, 2023

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While I agree with the Rittenhouse verdict, the comparison doesn't work. Rittenhouse intentionally killed two people; when someone does that in circumstances other than those where self-defense is completely obvious (eg, defense of home), of course he is going to be arrested. In contrast, here there is no evidence that the killing was intentional. Moreover, the police had probable cause at the time to think that the Rittenhouse murders were premeditated.

Moreover, the police had probable cause at the time to think that the Rittenhouse murders were premeditated.

How so?

Because he came across state lines with a gun, and ended up shooting his political opponents. Again, based on facts that emerged, I do not think that he premeditated; in fact, I am sure that he did not, and I am sure that his acquittal was correct. But probable cause is quite a low bar, and of course is based on evidence known at the time of the arrest.

  • -11

Because he came across state lines with a gun

Please, why are you still repeating this in the year of Our Lord 2023?

Again, the point is what the police believed at the time.

Have they? Or was that something thoughtlessly repeated by the media (or even just Twitter)? He turned himself in, you think they didn't ask him where he got the gun from? You think they didn't believe him?

You think they didn't believe him?

Do I think police do not believe the statements of murder suspects, which statements reduce their culpability? I do.

Regardless, the cases are not similar. In one, you have someone bringing a gun to a protest, and ending up intentionally killing two people. In the other, you have someone bringing a bullhorn to a protest, and, as far as we know, accidentally killing someone. Of course the police are going to treat the former differently than the latter. And that is true despite the fact that Rittenhouse turned out to have acted in self-defense.

Do I think police do not believe the statements of murder suspects, which statements reduce their culpability? I do.

So you think they haven't looked up who purchased, and who was the owner of a legal firearm that was involved in an incident they were investigating.

Do you have any evidence at all that the police ever believed the gun is from out of state?

Regardless, the cases are not similar.

If that claim was irrelevant, why did you bring it up to begin with?

If that claim was irrelevant,

That isn't what "regardless" means.

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