You obviously know more about the law than I do, but I'll argue that the judge's actions in that courtroom certainly did influence the jury. His constant harping at the prosecution while letting the defense get away with essentially the same 'abuses' sent a message.

And I don't care how often he lets defendants pick the jurors out of a bag, that had to influence the jury, too. It made Rittenhouse look like a partner in the court and not a man on trial for murder.

Everything the judge did, including dropping an illegal gun charge and disallowing the word 'victim' but allowing the words 'rioters and looters' prejudiced the case. In my view.