Kyle Rittenhouse verdict: When will decision be announced?

KENOSHA, Wis. – The jury deliberating the fate of accused Kenosha, Wisconsin, shooter Kyle Rittenhouse is in its fourth day of deliberations, after spending about 23 and a half hours behind closed doors so far. 

The deliberations can take as long as the 12-person panel – made up of seven women and five men – decides it needs. If the jury does not reach a verdict on Friday, the deliberations will continue into next week, possibly through the weekend. 

The jurors will typically break for lunch in the early afternoon before they proceed for the rest of the day. They concluded shortly after 4 p.m. CT on Thursday and around 4:30 p.m. CT the day before that. 

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Speaking to Fox News Digital earlier this week, criminal defense attorney Julie Rendelman said the questions that the jury asks during its deliberations can often provide insight into where jurors’ heads are, but noted that predicting when they would be ready to announce a verdict is "so difficult."

"We’ve had cases where we think the verdict is going to come in five minutes and it comes in 10 days," said Rendelman, a former prosecutor based in New York. "And, you also have to realize there could be no verdict. You can’t forget that – meaning that there could be a hung jury."

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Rittenhouse was 17 when he and at least one friend said they traveled to the Wisconsin city from Illinois on Aug. 25, 2020, to protect local businesses and provide medical aid after two nights of unrest with businesses being looted and set on fire.

He faces up to life in prison if convicted on the most serious counts. Charges against Rittenhouse stem from the night of Aug. 25, 2020, when he fatally shot two men — Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, — and wounded a third, Gaige Grosskreutz, during a night of riots in Kenosha. 

His defense attorneys have repeatedly argued that he was acting in self-defense. Prosecutors have depicted Rittenhouse as instigating the attacks. 

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In the meantime, officers and deputies from the Kenosha Police and Sheriff’s departments can be seen around the Kenosha County Courthouse, where groups of protesters have gathered each day. At one point, tensions between opposing groups rose to the point where police swarmed the front of the building and ultimately arrested two people, including one man for battery and disorderly conduct, the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department said. 

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Both agencies have said they are continuing to monitor the trial and are coordinating with other law enforcement accordingly. They said they have "no reason to facilitate road closures" or institute curfews.

Once the jury indicates it has reached a verdict, if it reaches a verdict, every party involved in the case will have time to return to the courtroom before the decision is announced. 

Speaking inside the courtroom this week, Judge Bruce Schroeder said someone "could be in Chicago and get here in time."