Understatement, this article is very Kafka. Yes, I've read Kafka and visited his parent's store in Prague. Not a fan. But...........

Defendants are consided innocent till proven guilty. And the past crimes of the killed were not allowed to be presented in court and are not considered in Rittenhouse's innocence or guilt. The plea was self defense which is narrowly defined in this particular state of the US. This was a state brought charge and not a Federal charge.