Felon Who Kicked Rittenhouse in the Head Identified

EXCLUSIVE: 'Jump-kick man' who was filmed kicking Kyle Rittenhouse in the head before the teen shot at him is revealed as a career criminal with an open domestic violence charge for 'throwing his girlfriend to the ground and attacking her'

• Maurice Freeland, 39, has admitted that he was the one who kicked Kyle Rittenhouse in the head on the night of August 25,2020 
• Rittenhouse is charged with First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety of Freeland, who was only known as 'jump-kick man'
• The state has painted all these actors as heroes attempting to take down an 'active shooter' 
• But DailyMail.com can reveal that at the time of the 2020 incident Freeland was out on bond and is a career criminal 
• He was charged with Battery Domestic Abuse, Criminal Damage to Property Domestic Abuse and Disorderly Conduct Domestic Abuse 
• Freeland was charged for an incident that took place on March 23, 2020 between Freeland and his partner Monalisa N McDuffie 
• McDuffie told police that Freeland 'threw her to the ground and kicked her in her lower right ribcage…then began punching the television' 

By LAURA COLLINS, CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER IN KENOSHA, WISCONSIN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED: 10:23 EST, 18 November 2021 | UPDATED: 12:07 EST, 18 November 2021

 
 
 
 
 
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Maurice Freeland, 39, has admitted that he was the one who kicked Rittenhouse in the head

A career criminal and convicted felon with an open domestic violence charge has claimed to be the unidentified male at whom Kyle Rittenhouse shot twice at close range but missed, on the night of August 25, 2020.

Rittenhouse has been charged with First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety of the man known in trial only as 'jump-kick man,' for the flying kick he took at the teenager's head as Rittenhouse was attacked minutes after he shot Joseph Rosenbaum dead.

Now Maurice Freeland, 39, has admitted that he was the one who kicked Rittenhouse in the head and narrowly avoided being shot as a result, after the then 17-year-old stumbled to the ground as he attempted to flee.

Moments later Anthony Huber swung at Rittenhouse with his skateboard for a second time, grabbing for the AR-15 that was slung across his chest. Rittenhouse fired once, shooting Huber in the chest at point blank range.

Gaige Grosskreutz was next, advancing on Rittenhouse with a Glock 27 in his hand. He was shot in his right bicep for his efforts.

The state has painted all these actors as heroes attempting to take down an 'active shooter.'

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Rittenhouse has been charged with First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety of the man known in trial only as 'jump-kick man,' for the flying kick he took at the teenager's head as Rittenhouse was attacked minutes after he shot Joseph Rosenbaum dead

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Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time of the shootings, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide and other counts for killing Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and wounding Gaige Grosskreutz

DailyMail.com has already revealed that both Huber and Grosskreutz have lengthy and violent criminal histories, with the latter having a history of lying to police.

Now it has emerged that the same is true of 'jump-kick man' who was on bond that night for an alleged assault on his girlfriend that included kicking her in the ribcage having thrown her to the floor.

Freeland made his claim to being the 'unidentified complainant,' in the second of the five counts over which the jury is currently deliberating, to local news website Wisconsin Right Now.

WISN 1130 talk radio host Dan O'Donnell broke the story that prosecutors had identified the man Tuesday, but did not name him.

It is not known when the state learned Freeland's identity, but it has been confirmed that he had wanted immunity before he would testify, and that Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger would not grant it.

Now DailyMail.com can reveal that the man he painted a hero was out on bond having been charged with Battery Domestic Abuse, Criminal Damage to Property Domestic Abuse and Disorderly Conduct Domestic Abuse for an incident that took place on March 23, 2020.

Court records obtained by DailyMail.com detail the night in question – a night during which Freeland and his partner Monalisa N McDuffie had both been drinking.

Police responded to a call about 'family trouble,' at approximately 12.19am.

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The state has painted all these actors as heroes attempting to take down an 'active shooter'. But DailyMail.com can reveal that at the time of the 2020 incident Freeland was out on bond and is a career criminal

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Kyle Rittenhouse is seen with his AR-15 patrolling the streets of Kenosha, Wisconsin on the night he killed two men and injured a third 

Rittenhouse fatally shot Joseph Rosenbaum (left), 36, with an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle after Rosenbaum chased Rittenhouse across a parking lot and threw a plastic bag at him shortly before midnight on August 25, 2020. Moments later, as Rittenhouse was running down a street, he shot and killed Anthony Huber (right), 26, a protester from Silver Lake, Wisconsin

Man shoots at Black Lives Matter protesters in Kenosha

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McDuffie told officers that she taken Freeland's car keys early that evening 'believing neither [she nor he] were in a state that was safe to drive in.' Freeland 'became angry,' and, after a friend had driven them home, he became violent.

According to the criminal complaint, 'Maurice began to yell…and punched the drywall in multiple spots. The two began to 'tussle' and while this was occurring, Monalisa reported Maurice punched her three times in her chest, causing her pain.'

McDuffie told police that Freeland 'threw her to the ground and kicked her in her lower right ribcage…then began punching the television.'

She fled out of the back door, dropping her phone as she ran. She told police that as she did so Freeland 'yelled something to the effect of, 'you better run bitch, I'll kill you.'

Officers found 'fist-sized' holes in the drywall, blood on Freeland's knuckles and dried blood around the collar of McDuffie's shirt which 'appeared to be stretched out.'

It is just one of several open cases against Freeland whose record in Kenosha County spans 25 charges across more than 20 years in Kenosha County and includes acts of criminal violence, destruction of property, possession of controlled substances, traffic offenses, family court violations and escape from custody.

He is currently an inmate at Kenosha County Jail.

What charges does Kyle Rittenhouse face? 

Kyle Rittenhouse shot three men, killing two of them and wounding the third, during a protest against police brutality in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last year. Rittenhouse has argued that he fired in self-defense after the men attacked him. 

Here's a look at the charges that prosecutors carried into court, as well as lesser charges that the judge could put before the jury in final instructions:

COUNT 1: FIRST-DEGREE RECKLESS HOMICIDE, USE OF A DANGEROUS WEAPON

This felony charge is connected to the death of Joseph Rosenbaum, the first man Rittenhouse shot. Bystander video shows Rosenbaum chasing Rittenhouse through a parking lot and throwing a plastic bag at him. Rittenhouse flees behind a car and Rosenbaum follows. Video introduced at trial showed Rittenhouse wheeling around and firing as Rosenbaum chased him. Richie McGinniss, a reporter who was trailing Rittenhouse, testified that Rosenbaum lunged for Rittenhouse's gun.

Reckless homicide differs from intentional homicide in that prosecutors aren't alleging Rittenhouse intended to murder Rosenbaum. Instead, they're alleging Rittenhouse caused Rosenbaum's death in circumstances showing an utter disregard for human life.

Former Waukesha County District Attorney Paul Bucher said prosecutors' decision to charge reckless instead of intentional homicide shows they don't know what happened between Rittenhouse and Rosenbaum and what might have been going through Rittenhouse's mind when he pulled the trigger.

The charge is punishable by up to 60 years in prison. The dangerous weapon modifier carries an additional five years.

Prosecutors asked Judge Bruce Schroeder to let the jury also consider a lesser charge, second-degree reckless homicide, that does not require a finding that Rittenhouse acted with utter disregard for human life. It's punishable by up to 25 years in prison. But after Rittenhouse's attorneys objected, Schroeder said he did not plan to give that instruction. He said he expected that a guilty verdict on that count would be overturned because the defense objected to adding it.

COUNT 2: FIRST-DEGREE RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING SAFETY, USE OF A DANGEROUS WEAPON

This felony charge is connected to the Rosenbaum shooting. McGinniss told investigators he was in the line of fire when Rittenhouse shot Rosenbaum. The charge is punishable by 12 1/2 years in prison. The weapons modifier carries an additional five years.

Prosecutors asked Schroeder to let the jury consider a second-degree version of this charge. The difference is that the second-degree version doesn't require a finding that Rittenhouse acted with utter disregard for human life. Schroeder said he was inclined to allow that instruction, though he didn't make a final ruling. The charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

COUNT 3: FIRST-DEGREE RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING SAFETY, USE OF A DANGEROUS WEAPON

Video shows an unknown man leaping at Rittenhouse and trying to kick him seconds before Anthony Huber moves his skateboard toward him. Rittenhouse appears to fire two rounds at the man but apparently misses as the man runs away.

This charge is a felony punishable by 12 1/2 years in prison. The weapons modifier again would add up to five more years.

Schroeder said he would decline prosecutors' request that jurors be allowed to consider this charge in the second degree.

COUNT 4: FIRST-DEGREE INTENTIONAL HOMICIDE, USE OF A DANGEROUS WEAPON

This charge is connected to Huber's death. Video shows Rittenhouse running down the street after shooting Rosenbaum when he falls to the street. Huber leaps at him and swings a skateboard at his head and neck and tries to grab Rittenhouse's gun before Rittenhouse fires. The criminal complaint alleges Rittenhouse aimed the weapon at Huber.

Intentional homicide means just that - a person killed someone and meant to do it. Bucher said that if Rittenhouse pointed the gun at Huber and pulled the trigger that would amount to intentional homicide. However, self-defense would trump the charge.

'Why I intended to kill this individual makes the difference,' Bucher said.

The count carries a mandatory life sentence. The weapons modifier would add up to five years.

Prosecutors asked Schroeder to give the jury the option of second-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide and second-degree reckless homicide in Huber's death. The defense objected only to the second-degree reckless homicide charge, and Schroeder said he 'embraced' that argument.

Second-degree intentional homicide is a fallback charge when a defendant believed he was in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm and that it was necessary to use force - but either belief was unreasonable. It's punishable by up to 60 years in prison.

The first-degree reckless homicide charge sought in Huber's death matches an original charge in Rosenbaum's death - it would require jurors to decide that Rittenhouse caused Huber's death with an utter disregard for human life - and is punishable by up to 60 years in prison.

COUNT 5: ATTEMPTED FIRST-DEGREE INTENTIONAL HOMICIDE, USE OF A DANGEROUS WEAPON

This is the charge for Rittenhouse shooting Gaige Grosskreutz in the arm seconds after he shot Huber, and as Grosskreutz came toward him holding a pistol. Grosskreutz survived. Video shows Rittenhouse pointing his gun at Grosskreutz and firing a single round.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of 60 years. The weapons modifier would add up to five more years.

Prosecutors asked that the jury be allowed to consider lesser counts in the Grosskreutz shooting: second-degree attempted intentional homicide, first-degree reckless endangerment and second-degree reckless endangerment. Defense attorneys didn't oppose the first, but did oppose adding the reckless endangerment counts. Schroeder didn't rule but said he was inclined to side with prosecutors.

The possible punishment for attempted second-degree intentional homicide is 30 years.

DISMISSED - COUNT 6: POSSESSION OF A DANGEROUS WEAPON BY A PERSON UNDER 18

Rittenhouse was armed with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle. He was 17 years old on the night of the shootings. Wisconsin law prohibits minors from possessing firearms except for hunting. It was not clear on Friday what Schroeder intends to tell jurors about that charge.

The charge is a misdemeanor punishable by up to nine months behind bars.

Judge Bruce Schroeder dismissed count 6 from Rittenhouse's rap sheet Monday morning. 

COUNT 7: FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH AN EMERGENCY ORDER FROM STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Rittenhouse was charged with being out on the streets after an 8 p.m. curfew imposed by the city, a minor offense that carries a fine of up to $200. Judge Bruce Schroeder dismissed the charge during the second week of trial after the defense argued that prosecutors hadn't offered enough evidence to prove it