Judge Denies Bail Hike; Rittenhouse 'Living It Up,' Father Says

KENOSHA COUNTY, IL — A Wisconsin judge has denied a motion to increase the bail for Kyle Rittenhouse and also ruled Thursday that the teen’s current address would not be made public.

The ruling came during a hearing held via Zoom in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, where Rittenhouse, 18, appeared with his attorney Mark Richards. Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger argued Rittenhouse violated conditions of his $2 million bail when he failed to notify the court that he’d moved from his address in Antioch.

Also during the Thursday hearing, Thomas Huber, father of Anthony Huber, who is one of two men Rittenhouse is accused of fatally shooting amid protests in Kenosha in August, told the court Rittenhouse believes he’s above the law, shows no remorse and has no reason not “to run” to avoid a trial in the murder case.

He asked Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder to up the teen’s bail to $4 million. Binger requested a $200,000 bump in the bail.

“He can do whatever he wants after he killed our son,” said Huber, adding that the teen has been “living it up.”

Binger noted the case was “unique” and Rittenhouse has no stake in complying with his lofty bond. The funds needed to post his bail were crowdfunded as part of an effort by his former attorney, Thomas Pierce.

Binger also noted Rittenhouse’s “disturbing behavior” since he’s been out on bond as a reason to know where he lives and to increase his bail. In particular, he noted, Rittenhouse, who recently turned 18, was spotted drinking at a bar in Wisconsin with his mother, which is legal for an 18-year-old to do in Wisconsin if accompanied by a parent — while wearing a t-shirt that read “Free as [Expletive].”

A motion filed last month by prosecutors alleges Rittenhouse also posed outside the bar in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, for a photo with two men as they all gestured an "OK" sign with their hands, which has become a symbol used by white supremacists, according to the Associated Press.

The Associated Press also reported that during that outing, five men serenaded Rittenhouse with the song "Proud of Your Boy," which has become the anthem of the Proud Boys, a white supremacist group whose members have been identified as being involved in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

Richards says Rittenhouse has appeared for all of his court hearings and would continue to do so.

“We have nothing to fear. The truth will set my client free,” Richards said.

Schroeder ruled Rittenhouse’s address must be shared with the deputy clerk in the clerk’s office and a designated employee of the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office, but would not be given to the state’s attorney’s office or shared publicly in his court records, which is often the case in criminal cases.

Rittenhouse is next expected in court for a final pre-trial on March 10. If a plea deal is not reached in the case, jury selection for a trial in the case could start on March 29.