Judge Bruce E. Schroeder of the Kenosha County Circuit Court denied the motions during a virtual hearing on bail terms.
Schroeder said Rittenhouse was in violation of not updating his address, but there was no reason to increase bail. He ordered the defense team to give the court the new address. If prosecutors want to find out information about Rittenhouse’s whereabouts, they will have to go through the sheriff’s office, he said.
“It is not appropriate to remove us from this information,” said Thomas Binger, assistant district attorney for Kenosha County, just before the judge abruptly ended the hearing. “We have never been denied this information, at least what I have ever heard of.”
Rittenhouse’s attorney, Mark Richards, argued that his client “isn’t fleeing, he’s not hiding”. He added that his client has appeared for each hearing as required.
Schroeder said he did not have the authority to issue an arrest warrant because Rittenhouse had not broken Wisconsin law when he was out on bail.
“I understand the concern,” said Schroeder. “To issue a warrant now for a defendant who has appeared at every hearing would be a violation of the law and I am not going to do that.”
The teen, who has pleaded not guilty to two murder charges and one attempted murder, has been sentenced on $ 2 million bail.
Rittenhouse lawyers have said threats forced the teen to find another home in place of his stated address.
Attorney John Pierce, who was on the Rittenhouse defense team until mid-January, previously signed an affidavit saying that because of the numerous death threats, “arrangements had been made for the Rittenhouse family to stay in a ‘Safe House’ on a non- identified location “as soon as bail was posted.
John Huber, Anthony Huber’s father, who was allegedly shot and killed by Rittenhouse during the Kenosha protests, asked for bail to be raised to $ 4 million and angrily addressed the defendant.
“From the moment he became a murderer, he thought he was above the law,” Huber said on Thursday via Zoom. “Justice will be served for you.”
Rittenhouse is charged with the shooting of Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum, and the wounding of Gaige Grosskreutz, on August 25. Rittenhouse’s lawyers have maintained that he was acting in self-defense.
Rittenhouse, who sat next to Richards wearing a mask, “looks forward to litigating these crimes,” his lawyer said. ‘We have nothing to fear. The truth will set my client free. ‘