LeBron James Has Harsh Words For Kyle Rittenhouse's Courtroom Antics

As the Kyle Rittenhouse trial continues to unfold, the divisive nature of its contents continues to cut at the core of identity, race, violence and politics in America as we know it. Rittenhouse, who was charged with five felony counts after fatally shooting two people and wounding one other during a protest related to the police shooting of a Black man named Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, could face a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted, per USA Today. In the days since the Rittenhouse trial began in early November, media reports have underlined points of possible bias in court proceedings regarding possible sympathies for the defendant, a white 18-year-old  from Illinois who was a teenager the night he picked up a gun and drove across state lines to Kenosha. The prosecution has argued that Rittenhouse has possible white nationalist fealties, while their attempts to prove such have been subject to strong scoldings from presiding Judge Bruce Schroeder gave to prosecutors on two different occasions, per one CNN analyst.

As expected, Rittenhouse's name has become embroiled in public discourse, occasionally ambling into the celebrity sphere. Celebrity involvement and critique of the case first cropped up in November 2020, when "Silver Spoons" actor Ricky Schroder (no relation to Judge Schroeder) and Mike "MyPillow Guy" Lindell crowdfunded millions for Rittenhouse's cash bail. Now, shortly following Rittenhouse's courtroom testimony on November 10, in which he appeared to cry while arguing self-defense, NBA legend LeBron James has weighed in on the matter.

As TMZ reported on November 11, LeBron James minced no words on his takeaway from Kyle Rittenhouse's appearance on the stand. Regarding Rittenhouse, James questioned the veracity of his courtroom tears, implying that Rittenhouse was putting on an act in order to appeal to the sympathy of the majority white jury. "What tears????? I didn't see one," James tweeted, before attempting to add some levity to the situation. "Man knock it off! That boy ate some lemon heads before walking into court."

In a CNN analysis of the courtroom proceedings, network legal analyst Laura Coates explained that like many defendants, Rittenhouse's decision to give testimony in court is one that could work against his favor. "No matter how rehearsed or smart they think they are, if they are not well-versed in the methodology of litigation of trial procedure and evidentiary rules, they may fall victim to their own hubris," Coates told CNN. Whether or not Rittenhouse's tears were performative to the point of manipulation or whether they were genuine, one thing is for certain: If we're going by James' response, Coates' elucidation might prove to be correct. Whether or not it will swing jurors one way or the other, however, remains to be seen.