What's next for Kyle Rittenhouse? Plans to move away from the area and become a nurse

KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- He's just been acquitted of all charges, so what's next for Kyle Rittenhouse? His defense attorney, Mark Richards, offered insight into his future plans during a news conference Friday afternoon.

"He has to get on with his life the best he can. I think eventually some anonymity will come back to it. I don't think he'll continue to live in this area. I think it's too dangerous," Richards said outside of his Racine office.

On Friday, Nov. 19, after 25 hours of deliberation, the jury found Rittenhouse not guilty of all charges. He shot and killed two men, injuring a third, during unrest in August 2020 in the days following the shooting of Jacob Blake. The jury's decision reflects the defense's arguments that Rittenhouse acted in self-defense.

After the jury reached a verdict, Richards said the first thing Rittenhouse said to him was, 'thank you.'

"I knew this case was big. I had no idea it was going to be this big," Richards told reporters. "It takes a while to process what happened today. I haven't processed it."

Richards said he and the other attorneys involved in the three-week-long trial have received backlash. 

"To me, it's scary how many death threats we've had. I was answering my phone on the way back from court in Kenosha. My office isn't that far. After the third death threat, I quit answering the phone," Richards said.

Judge Bruce Schroeder addressed the backlash in court earlier this week, saying he finds it "shameful" some things that have been said about them.

The case will leave a mark on Richards and his client. He said Rittenhouse has PTSD and can't sleep at night.

He said 18-year-old Rittenhouse feels a sense of relief about the verdict and wishes none of this would have happened.

"There's been so much talk about whether the tears were genuine (when Rittenhouse was on the stand). All I can say is when we prepared Kyle and we worked on his testimony, there were things we couldn't talk about in my office because it got too emotional. And he couldn't handle it," Richards said.

In the future, Rittenhouse aspires to be a nurse. During the protests last summer, Rittenhouse told protesters he was a medic and administered first aid training. 

Rittenhouse's attorney said he's kept in touch with several clients over the years and feels Rittenhouse could be one of them.

"I'd like to see him do well, and I hope that Kyle does," he added.

CBS 58 asked Richards whether the Rittenhouse family plans to keep a low profile. He responded, "I hope so."