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Body Language Analysis of Kyle Rittenhouse's Crying. Real Tears or Fake Tears? Kyle Rittenhouse Murder Trial.

Murder trial.

 This is the clip of Rittenhouse crying in court - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2kX1Nzi1I8

At 1:54, Rittenhouse appears to be looking at the judge. 

 The full video can be seen here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bvcl0FqI518. Rittenhouse appears to be answering matter-of-fact questions before he starts crying. He starts crying at around 36:18.  Until he is asked about that moment he is calm. His voice is even and in “report” mode. His breathing is normal. He is stating facts. He shows no stress or fear when just reports that the adult who left him is gone, calm as he reports that the police stopped him and told him not to go into harm's way.  Calm as he reports that he was told to get a fire extinguisher and go to where people are reported to be setting cars on fire. He calmly states when people shout, “burn in hell” he says friendly friendly” though he knows that he is carrying a loaded illegal AR-15 (again the people shouting could be responding to him as a dangerously armed person and he is lying essentially lying that his only possible goal is to be friendly which an unarmed medic could claim as a fire extinguisher could be used as a weapon)

His crying shows several fake tear flags. 

It comes out of nowhere. He has shown no stress around any of the other stressful situation he was under.  His anxiety and stress and does not build as it would normally as he comes to the moment he is asked to describe. Remember he is being asked in this testimony about the day he shot and killed two people and shot and injured another.  When he goes to that moment.
His breathing is hyperventilating breathing he is bringing in big gulps of air to heighten the intensity of his emotional state. To gain energy to create the tears. Kyle Rittenhouse's facial expression compresses and explodes out hard down and up and out over and over again and the breathing gets more intense.  He is working to intensify the emotions and make them bigger rather than the normal manner I have analyzed in witness statements testimony that I have seen in victims who have been traumatized and asked to go back to the moment and relive it.

He also gives a very odd look to the side to the jury as he breathes hard which seems an attempt to figure out whether they are believing his tears and being swayed. I have seen little kids do the side-eye when they are fake crying. 

 Here are some previous pictures of his demeanor:

https://www.tmz.com/2021/01/08/kyle-rittenhouse-has-beer-at-bar-with-free-as-f-shirt-on/
What’s interesting here is the most obvious

Do his demeanor and his other nonverbal cues match what would be considered normal and natural for those circumstances.

The circumstances are he is free on bond from killing two people and injuring another.

First, consider what you would consider normal for someone to feel and do in those circumstances

Now let's look at how far from normal his behavior is.

Demeanor

Choosing to go into a bar where people are happy and partying

Choosing to drink alcohol in public to show the public he is doing an adult activity and considers himself an adult

Happy smiling,

His hat on backwards (As he did during the killing) is a subtle nod to defiance of old rules and a nod to youth.

T-shirt with not only a blacked-out cuss word but a message of defiance and profanity, “Free as …”

One hand in his pocket with arm crooked elbow out shows the power and any sharp-edged body language like this affects the limbic brain of the doer and the viewer as weapon-like. (In fact, there is what is termed a separate “brain” in the eye that reads human silhouettes for threat and large sharp-edged body silhouettes are read as a threat.

  Here he is in possession of an AR-15 at the Kenosha protest - https://www.the-sun.com/news/1403514/kyle-rittenhouse-illinois-kenosha-shooting-jail-murder/

 In this video, Rittenhouse appears to say that he carries his rifle to protect himself. https://www.foxnews.com/media/kenosha-shooting-new-footage-kyle-rittenhouse-tucker#

Look at him after time code 3:31.

 Word use and placement is a part of my analysis. First It's interesting that his lawyers frame the video by saying it was “good Samaritans united” odd labeling for armed boys and men most untrained and some with illegal weapons.

 In his first statement, Kyle has a slight smile his body language is expansive and buoyant and his voice is speeded up and excited as he says, “so people are getting injured.” Typically when someone is speaking of people being injured their body language would match the message and show sadness or concern or seriousness. He does not.

As he says, “Our job is to protect this (built list?? and part of my job is job is also helping. If someone's hurt I am running into harm's way.” Here is he reaches out his hand and arms to show himself running into harm's way, As he says, “That’s why I have my rifle” as he says that with an upward vocal emphasis on the words “My Rifle” he grabs at it holding his hands with his trigger finger out and smiles indicating he is ready to fire his weapon and happy at the prospect. Showing no fear at the prospect of any of this.

https://www.the-sun.com/news/4048987/kyle-rittenhouse-judge-trial-bruce-schroeder-forced-tears/

https://www.the-sun.com/news/4048987/kyle-rittenhouse-judge-trial-bruce-schroeder-forced-tears/



Patti Wood, MA - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com.