Could Trump pardon Kyle? He could say 'His instinct to protect property and defy the rioters was right, he was trying to defend himself but he was wrong to break the law to do it because 17-year-olds can't have AR-15s. However, I don't think that mistake should ruin his life'. Of course, Trump being Trump he'd say something much less nuanced but more memorable than that but which his supporters would love and his opponents would hate.
I reckon this would be a good move - he wants to make himself the anti rioter candidate and his opponent the pro riot candidate. Trump Derangement Syndrome makes that possible and he should do it.
And Trump could do this before the trial. Presidential pardons are a plenary power, one of the few in the US constitution
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_pardons_in_the_United_States#Modern_process
Then again if Kyle's charges are at the state level he can't be federally pardoned
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_pardons_in_the_United_States#Limitations
https://www.barrheadnews.com/news/n...ays-decision-teenager-kyle-rittenhouses-fate/
https://archive.vn/wip/O0tqU
That's kind of interesting. The Illinois judge has delayed his extradition to Wisconsin to stand trial. Both Illinois and Wisconsin have Democrat governors, so it's probably not that Republicans don't want to hand him over to Democrats to get railroaded. Incidentally, if that ever happens it's bad news for the unity of the USA.
tl;dr - seems like bad news for Kyle. If you look at the charges the best case is that he gets off the first-degree intentional homicide and the first-degree reckless homicide but he's definitely getting a misdemeanor for the possession of a dangerous weapon by a minor. What's more likely is that he'll get at least the reckless homicide and the misdemeanor.
It's a shame really.