Nam Y. Huh/Pool/AP Photos
- A controversial defense attorney for Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old accused of killing two people and injuring another amid unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, has withdrawn from the case.
- John M. Pierce’s announcement came just hours after the prosecution filed a motion raising potential conflicts of interest.
- Another Rittenhouse defense attorney, Andrew Calderon, also withdrew from the case on Thursday.
- Rittenhouse, of Antioch, Illinois, was charged with reckless homicide after fatally shooting two people and injuring a third with an AR-15 style rifle during a BLM protest in August.
- He pleaded not guilty and said he acted out of self-defense. A court commissioner ruled, also on Thursday, that he will stand trial on charges of felony homicide and other crimes.
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A controversial defense attorney for Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old accused of killing two people and injuring another amid unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, has withdrawn from the case.
The announcement from John M. Pierce came just hours after the prosecution filed a motion raising his potential conflicts of interest.
On Thursday, Pierce tweeted: “So that it does not take Kyle’s supporters by surprise, effective immediately I am taking over all civil matters for Kyle including his future defamation claims.
“I will also be orchestrating all fundraising for defense costs. The terrific Mark Richards will proceed in Wisconsin.” Richards was the lawyer who tried to dismiss the two reckless homicide charges a day before Rittenhouse’s pretrial, TMJ4 noted.
Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger launched a motion that said Pierce’s involvement with fundraising effort #FightBack was a conflict of interest.
He said #FightBack, which he co-founded along with nationally known defamation lawyer Lin Wood "provides ample opportunity for self-dealing and fraud," according to the Chicago Tribune.
The Texas-based foundation took credit for raising the $2m needed to free Rittenhouse on bail last month but is now focused on challenging the Presidential election results, ABC reported.
While Pierce stepped down from the board of #FightBack in September, the court filing noted that he continued to fundraise for the teenager's case on the platform, the Chicago Tribune added.
The motion added he shouldn't be allowed to represent Rittenhouse because he has "significant personal financial difficulties."
It said: "money that should be held in trust for the defendant may instead be used to repay attorney Pierce's numerous creditors."
Pierce's law firm has been sued by various companies this year, all of them alleging unpaid bills, The Daily Beast reported.
One said Pierce Bainbridge owed them $65m, which may be tied to the redundancies of over 60 of its lawyers, The Daily Beast added.
In 2019, Pierce declared no income and substantial personal debts, including federal and state tax tabs of $1.05m, a $90,000 bank loan, and a $27,000 debt owed to his former mother-in-law, ABC added.
Another Rittenhouse defense attorney, Andrew Calderon, also withdrew from the case on Thursday.
Rittenhouse, of Antioch, Illinois, was charged with reckless homicide after fatally shooting two people and injuring a third with an AR-15 style rifle during a Black Lives Matter protest in August.
He pleaded not guilty and said he acted out of self-defense however, a court commissioner ruled, also on Thursday, that he will stand trial on charges of felony homicide and other crimes.