Federal Charges

[Livluvgrow]

When Joe and Kamala win is it possible that the new attorney general could file federal charges against the 17yo murderer?

[mr_lebowski]

1. Pretty certain they could ... civil rights violations (nt)

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. Civil rights violations wouldn't apply to a non-government actor unless

the charge is a federal hate crime violation, but a hate crime is one relating to “race, color, religion, or national origin;” it is illegal to cause injury to any person because of his or her “religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.” The victims were white.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. No, he didn't commit a federal crime.

He'll be charged with murder under Wisconsin law. The asshole who killed Heather Heyer in Charlottesville was also charged under state law (VA) and was sentenced to life in prison. There's no significant difference between the two except that one used a gun and the other used a car (traveling from another state, as both killers did, isn't enough by itself to make the crime federal if crossing a state line wasn't part of the crime).

[unblock]

3. Sure, assuming Donnie doesn't pardon him...

And assuming there's a federal crime to charge him with

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. If he's charged with state crimes Trump can't pardon him.

[unblock]

7. He can't pardon him for state charges, but he could pardon him for any federal crimes

If there even are any. Hate crimes, civil rights, or terrorism? Maybe the crossing state lines somehow brings some gun charges into the picture? Not sure.

Obviously the primary charges should be state level.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. So why charge him with a federal crime if he's likely to be pardoned anyhow?

Here are the latest state charges: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/read-the-criminal-charges-filed-against-kyle-rittenhouse/article_58490a6a-f25d-51fc-b2d1-a7d58ac685b1.html and https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journaltimes.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/6f/46ff33b7-0bd7-55e6-8f2f-9ded0582862f/5f4933274cde9.pdf.pdf

[unblock]

9. I think the question is could he be charged once Biden/Harris take over

If Donnie pardon him while he still can, nothing can be done at the federal level.

If he doesn't, then Biden's doj could charge him without fear of a later pardon.

But yeah, it's mainly a state crime.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. We don't *want* him charged with a federal crime, because Fat Nixon could pardon him!

-Assuming there's federal jurisdiction in the first place, which I doubt. Let Wisconsin deal with him; Evers sure isn't likely to pardon him if he's convicted under state law.