Kyle Rittenhouse jurors could be unnerved by spectators, protesters: Andrew McCarthy

close

Video

Andy McCarthy warns of possible jury intimidation from 'egregious' protests

Fox News contributor Andy McCarthy discusses the factors that could possibly influence the Rittenhouse jury, which has not been sequestered.

Fox News contributor and former U.S. Attorney Andy McCarthy weighed in on the Kyle Rittenhouse trial Wednesday after concerns were raised about the possibility of loud protesters intimidating the jury. On "America's Newsroom," McCarthy called the protests "egregious and worrisome," but noted that factors inside the courtroom, like the return of spectators and cameras, may unnerve jurors as well. 

TUCKER CARLSON: WHY DID THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE LET KENOSHA BE DESTROYED?

ANDY MCCARTHY: I'm worried about it, and I've been worried about it. And I think it's not just a matter of what's going on outside the courthouse, which I agree is egregious and worrisome. But I think that we spent a lot of time covering the [Derek] Chauvin trial, and we got a sense, because we were at it every day, that that's the way trials go. But if you remember, the Chauvin case was during the COVID protocols and really there weren't spectators in the courtroom. …

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

In this case, it's been much more like pre-COVID times. So there's been spectators. And we know that there have been people in the courtroom who have been staring at the jurors, checking out the jurors. The cameras are moving around, which I think could unnerve the jurors in the sense that if they have video of what they look like, that could be broadcast to the public. They don't know exactly how that's being used because they're not supposed to be looking at publicity about the case. So it's not just what's going on outside the trial, outside the courthouse. And then you couple that with the fact that the judge is not sequestering them. He's letting them go home and come back. So they're getting some exposure to what's going on in the community.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW BELOW:

Video