Gaige Grosskreutz was shot by Kyle Rittenhouse on August 25, 2020 and his right bicep was almost entirely blown away. Grosskreutz, the state's star witness, took the stand Monday morning
Kenosha County prosecutors' star witness Gaige Grosskreutz lied to police officers in his statement by omitting the fact that he had a Glock in his hand when he was shot by Kyle Rittenhouse.
This was one of several allegations made by defense attorney Corey Chirafisi as he attempted to undermine the witness's credibility during a fierce cross examination Monday morning.
Jurors at the trial were shown graphic video of the devastating injury sustained by Gaige Grosskreutz when he was shot by Kyle Rittenhouse August 25, 2020.
The images were screened to a hushed court and clearly showed Grosskreutz grimacing and screaming in agony while he cradled his right arm - his right bicep almost entirely blown away having been shot at close range by Rittenhouse.
Grosskreutz took the stand Monday morning.
In often emotional testimony the clearly harrowed Grosskreutz told the jury how he pulled his own gun because he thought Rittenhouse was an 'active shooter' having witnessed him shoot at two men in front of him – killing one – and on learning that he had already shot another man.
But in the moments before he was shot, he said he raised his arms in surrender only for Rittenhouse to 're-wrack' his AR-15 and fire on him.
Grosskreutz is the sole survivor of the three men shot by Rittenhouse that night.
Grosskreutz is the sole survivor of the three men shot by Rittenhouse that night
Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi said Grosskreutz lied to police officers in his statement by omitting the fact that he had a Glock in his hand when he was shot
The court was shown images of the shooting that clearly showed Grosskreutz grimacing and screaming in agony while he cradled his right arm
Chirafisi revealed to the court that Grosskreutz has filed a civil suit against Kenosha City for $10million as well as a federal lawsuit and that he fails to mention that he himself was carrying a firearm in either document.
'You stand a better chance of getting $10million bucks if Mr Rittenhouse is convicted don't you?' Chirafisi hectored.
Reading from Grosskreutz's original police statement made on August 26, Chirafisi said, 'You said, 'I told multiple officers that I dropped my firearm.' You didn't drop your firearm. You were chasing Mr Rittenhouse with your gun [drawn] right?'
Throughout direct examination Grosskreutz had been portrayed as a non-partisan participant, there only to administer medical aid.
Under cross-examination Chirafisi drew an admission that he has affiliations with a group called The People's Revolution and played footage during which Grosskreutz can be heard telling Rittenhouse and his fellow 'militia' medics, 'You can go home. F***ing stooge.'
Grosskreutz claimed that he did not 'purposefully' omit the information that he was armed and blamed it on the fact that he had just come out of surgery, had been sedated, was on pain medication and had just undergone 'the most traumatic experience' of his life 'physically and emotionally.'
Chirafisi was not satisfied, 'You understand it's the only information you appear ot have forgotten – that puts you with a gun directly in front of him.'
Where the state had sought to portray Grosskreutz as a co-operative witness Chirafisi presented a very different image to the court.
Under cross examination Grosskreutz admitted that he did not give permission for officers to look through his cell phone, failed to mention that he had been carrying a gun when questioned the day after the shooting and refused to answer homicide detectives' questions on the advice of his lawyer when re-interviewed in September 24.
In a striking moment, Chirafisi showed pictures of the moment that he was shot and elicited Grosskreutz's agreement when he said, 'You would agree that when you were three to five feet from him [Rittenhouse], with your hands in the air, he didn't fire did he?
'It wasn't until you were advancing on him with your gun pointed at him that he fired?'
Grosskreutz responded, 'Correct.'
Questioned by Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger, Grosskreutz recalled, 'I thought I was going to die,' and told how he watched Rittenhouse re-wrack his weapon and take aim at him as he approached him
Images of Grosskreutz's injuries on the night of the riot were shown to the jury on Monday
Questioned by Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger, Grosskreutz recalled, 'I thought I was going to die,' and told how he watched Rittenhouse re-wrack his weapon and take aim at him as he approached him.
He said, 'I put my hands up and then the defendant essentially re-wracked…in my mind it meant that the defendant had pulled the trigger while my hands were in the air, but the gun didn't fire so he was re-wracking.'
Moments earlier Grosskreutz who had been livestreaming events had jogged alongside Rittenhouse, drawn to the commotion and gunshots.
'What did you do?' he asked the younger man. Grosskreutz told the court that he misheard Rittenhouse's response thinking he said, 'I'm working with the police. I didn't do anything.'
In fact, Rittenhouse had said, 'I'm going to the police.'
Grosskreutz said, 'I found it odd and noteworthy…I thought the defendant was an active shooter.'
Asked why he didn't shoot first when faced with Rittenhouse taking aim, Grosskreutz said, 'I was trying to preserve my own life
