I thought this was quite informative. It mirrored my understanding.

The case for self-defense was actually pretty solid. What pissed me off most was the judge throwing out the charge he was undeniably guilty of, i.e., illegal possession of a long barreled rifle by a minor. That was the biggest contributing factor in the deaths. Kid vigilante rides scot free because of that.

Yeah EXACTLY Rosenbaum's mental health was a BIG issue that night. Also the setting itself. Violence is erupting in various places, people are on high alert. I am sure everyone there is feeling that the environment is unstable to some degree and so would be more likely to act in self-defense at the slightest provocation. Having bag thrown at you then gunshots in your direction is absolutely a self-defense situation. This is why these protests/riots need to be hemmed in more, to prevent further violence and death. Unchecked, we start to see people getting hurt and dying and the psychological impacts as well that are negative. Let's also not forget that the more people see others on one side dying or being killed it furthers the "us vs them" mentality instead of fostering cooperation and understanding among people of different political groups. And the original event that starts it off is people in deep pain, greif, and anger. It's too volatile and people want to express it, but it just leads to a breakdown. Aren't there other ways to help the distressed family and community in the aftermath of a police shooting?

To be clear, I think Rittenhouse went there to confront rioters and get a chance to blast people. I think it's outrageous that the judge dropped the illegal weapons possession by a minor right off the bat. But the various videos showed he was retreating. I've no idea how the jury is going to decide, but the piece Matt O. put together is pretty compelling.