A bill named after a high-profile murder defendant, who was later acquitted, has been introduced in the Tennessee General Assembly.
Rep. Bruce Griffey (R-District 75) announced via press release Wednesday that he introduced what he calls “Kyle’s Law,” named after Kyle Rittenhouse.
Rittenhouse, 18, was acquitted on murder charges in November after a jury decided that he acted in self-defense when shooting and killing three people at a riot in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 2020.
Griffey’s press release says “the bill is named after Kyle Rittenhouse, who was charged with 1st degree murder as a result of defending himself against 3 convicted felons after being chased, assaulted, and a gun pointed at his head amid violent riots and lawless business lootings and arsons.”
“Kyle Rittenhouse had to defend himself not only against a first-degree murder charge over the course of a year-plus politically-motivated prosecution and a 2 week jury trial, but also against widespread defamation and false branding by corrupt media outlets, simply for exercising his American, God-given right to self-defense,” it continues.
The bill is aimed at making sure Tennesseeans who are acquitted of murder charges after acting in self-defense are compensated for their legal fees and lost wages. In essence, Griffey’s bill is a deterrent against aggressive prosecution.
Many, including former President Donald J. Trump, argue that Rittenhouse should never have been charged in the first place, and that his prosecution was politically motivated. He killed three people who were rioting over the death of George Floyd in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
But Griffey says his bill does more than just protect the accused. It also strengthens the Second Amendment, according to his press release.
“My legislation, just as Kyle Rittenhouse’s acquittal, underscores the importance not only of our right to self-defense, but also the protections afforded by the Second Amendment of our Constitution,” Griffey said in the release. “As a long-time Second Amendment advocate, this is not the first-time I have sought to strengthen protection to gun owners who exercise their self-defense right. In 2019, I filed and pushed for passage of my ‘Stand Your Ground’ bill.”
The bill is not yet numbered.
As part of the press release, Griffey issued a proclamation honoring Rittenhouse “for saving his own life in self-defense thanks to the Second Amendment to the Constitution.”
Griffey’s office did not return a comment request.
Read the proclamation:
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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
