Can't think of anyone other than Karen who would answer the question "Do you really want to lock up this boy for life for defending himself because you don't like guns?" with "Yes"
Because that's probably what's being said at this point
That's not how it's going. You know it's more like:
"Do you really want to lock up this boy for life for defending himself because you don't like guns?"
"He had a gun!"
"Yes, and he was defending himself with it!"
"There will be riots! We're being threatened!"
"There will be riots either way!"
"But we need to convict him!"
Repeat ad nauseum.
On the other hand, Karens are infamously not fond of being in uncomfortable situations they can't just screech their way out of. I'm sure the holdouts are already extremely uncomfortable being cooped up in a room with a bunch of strangers they at best see as beneath them (or at worst outright
evil). If the other jurors hold out, we might get something out of it. Otherwise, it'll just be a hung jury and that's that. The retrial goes to Schroeder, the defense already knows the only angle of attack the prosecution has, and this whole circus happens again in a few weeks/months.
So the weapon was in Kenosha already and the argument of self-defense is being made. That dramatically changes the light in which my original assumptions were made. Still, I believe that even if it was in self-defense, something like manslaughter (maybe involuntary) might be applicable here?
Not if the prosecution didn't charge him with it. They attempted to charge him with
murder, which implies premeditation or at least intent. The jury can't change the charge, they can only evaluate the fact and state whether or not they think the person is guilty of what counts they're being charged with.
[...] regardless of what either men did or didn't do, lives were taken that day, and even if it was justifiable self-defense, there should be some sort of repercussion or consequence to the author of said actions.
Rittenhouse has already lost a year of his life. He has likely also lost most of his friends. He has PTSD. He lives in a nation where a sizeable percentage of the population would be fine with him being brutally murdered by a vigilante for defending himself. He's a marked man and it's very likely he lost his future already because he'll never be an EMT or a fireman as he was being trained to be. These are consequences enough for
defending yourself against people who were willing to kill you.