CNN’s Cuomo: Kyle Rittenhouse Trial Verdict Was ‘Justified’: ‘What We Should Want Every Time’

Liberal CNN Host Chris Cuomo said that the Kyle Rittenhouse trial was justified by the law and the facts, despite his contention that the outcome was an instance of “systemic racism.”

During the handoff segment of his show, “Cuomo Prime Time,” Cuomo told fellow CNN host Don Lemon that he thought the verdict and the subsequent protests were “a terrible situation,” and pointed out that because of systemic racism, “you’re going to have people saying if he was black, this would be different.”

He did concede, however, that the verdict “is justified by the law and the facts,” and “that’s what we should want every time.”

“We want this outcome no matter who the defendant is,” Cuomo said.

Rittenhouse was found not guilty on all five counts against him after he shot three men in self-defense during the riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on August 25, 2020. Rittenhouse, who is originally from Antioch, Illinois, but who spent time in Kenosha because much of his family lives there, went into the city on the night of August 25 to render medical aid and guard local businesses from vandals who were rioting against the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

The verdict drew vitriolic reactions from left-wing activists, public figures, and politicians ranging from actors like George Takei and Josh Gad, to political commentator Van Jones, to Critical Race Theory writers Ibram X. Kendi and Nikole Hannah-Jones, to politicians like Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom and far-left “Squad” members Reps. Cori Bush (D-MO) and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA).

CUOMO: You know, you know you’re going to have people saying if he was black this would be different, right? Because we’re dealing with systemic injustice right now.

And even though this verdict, I believe, is justified by the law and the facts here, that’s what we should want every time, people are frustrated that you wouldn’t get it if he was black even though this may be the right outcome.

But, at the same time you’re doing that, you’re going to have him be weaponized by one of the most toxic people in our society.

LEMON: Well, so therefore, when that judge said — dressed down the prosecution. This, when he, you know, [dressed] down the prosecution. The prosecution did a lot of things wrong, right? I mean, this really rests on —

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: But they had a hard case. The facts and the —

LEMON: They had a hard case, but they didn’t do a good job