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Bruce Schroeder: Wisconsin's Senior Judge - fallen out of time for some
Photo: Mark Hertzberg / AP
Teenage boy Kyle Rittenhouse is on trial in Wisconsin.
He is said to have shot Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber during "Black Lives Matter" protests in the city of Kenosha in August 2020.
In the trial, however, not only the allegations against the accused make headlines - but also the behavior of the presiding judge Bruce Schroeder.
Schroeder, 75, already noticed that he had difficulties with modern image technology.
He is the longest-serving judge in the state of Wisconsin and himself spoke of "a lack of familiarity with these concepts," so prosecutors fear that Rittenhouse's lawyers are trying to exploit this weakness when they produce evidence.
Finally, some were puzzled about the judge's choice of words when he rang in the lunch break.
Regarding the meal ordered and the question of when the trial could continue, he said he hoped the Asian food would be delivered quickly "and is not on board one of those ships in Long Beach harbor."
Schroeder apparently tried to allude to the persistent problems in the supply chains in global trade with Asia, which also affects numerous US ports.
In the United States, however, this statement was viewed by many as offensive and racist in a process involving minority rights.
Jury dismissed on alleged joke about shooting Blake
"That harms our community and puts us in the crosshairs of microaggressions and actual physical violence," CNN quoted John Yang, head of the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice.
He accused him therefore of a lack of cultural sensitivity.
"Any Asian American who sees or hears his testimony will understand that he is making fun of our community or mocking it," Yang is quoted as saying.
Mae Ngai, a professor of Asian-American history, said, according to CNN, “All I can say is, uff.
Old racist stereotypes are persistent. "
It is not the first time that the choice of words in the process has been perceived by some as hurtful and discriminatory.
Just last week, a jury was caught with a supposed joke about the shooting of the black Jacob Blake by the police.
He made an inappropriate remark about the number of shots fired at Blake, Schroeder said.
The judge then dismissed the jury.
The protests in Kenosha had escalated last summer over the shooting at Blake.
Blake was seriously injured and has been paralyzed since then.
Several shops were burned down and looting ensued.
Police used rubber bullets and tear gas to control the crowd.
apr / AP