The next legal battle for Kyle Rittenhouse may be with his former attorneys. Two lawyers who briefly worked on Rittenhouse’s case — and helped raise $2 million to help get him released from jail as he awaited criminal charges — want their cash back, but the now acquitted teen’s family is fighting the move.
Rittenhouse was released from jail while he was waiting for his trial in November after a $2 million bond was posted by his former attorney John Pierce, with a cashier’s check from his law firm Pierce Bainbridge. Former child actor Ricky Schroder and My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell were credited with donations that enabled Rittenhouse’s release.
A second attorney who briefly worked on the case, L. Lin Wood, said the funds were provided by his FightBack Foundation and should be returned to the organization, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. In February, the Rittenhouse family fired Pierce, and have since complained that he and Wood diverted money meant to help Rittenhouse.
“I suspect there will be a fight over that,” Rittenhouse’s current attorney, Mark Richards said, according to the Kenosha News. “John Pierce is the person who posted the bond. All that money was raised on behalf of Kyle. Lin Wood and FightBack say they are entitled to it. There was half a million dollars I think that came directly from [Kyle’s mother] Wendy Rittenhouse from money she raised,” he continued. “So there’s going to be a fight over that, and I’m just thankful there will be a fight over it.” Read more at the NY Post.
{Matzav.com}
The money should go towards paying the civil lawsuit which is surely forthcoming. Acquittal from criminal charges does not automatically absolve civil charges.