WAUKESHA, Wis. — The trial continues for Darrell Brooks, the man accused of killing six people and injuring dozens more after driving an SUV through the Waukesha Christmas Parade in 2021.
Prosecutors allege Brooks, 40, hit and killed six people and injured scores of others with an SUV on Nov. 21 in the Milwaukee suburb of Waukesha. Police said he turned into the parade after fleeing a domestic disturbance, though officers were not pursuing him at the time. The 76 charges he faces include six counts of first-degree intentional homicide. Each of those counts carries a mandatory life sentence.
Brooks has been acting as his own attorney since last week when he demanded Judge Dorow dismiss his public defenders.
To get the latest information on the trial of Darrell Brooks, view our reporting in this article and the live tweeting from our reporters in court.
LATEST UPDATES FROM COURT: LIVE BLOG, TUESDAY OCT. 11
3:55 p.m. update:
The state calls its final witness, Debora Ramirez. She testifies that the SUV ran over her foot. She said her 12-year-old son, Issac, was also injured. Ramirez told the court she had a "mental breakdown" after she returned home from the hospital.
3:45 p.m. update:
After two more witnesses, the state said, "We're behind. Things have gone much slower today than we expected." Judge Dorow said she plans to wrap up court by 4:30 p.m.
An afternoon break is underway.
3:00 p.m. update:
The state calls Waukesha Police Detective Mike Carpenter. He used cameras, two on the outside of Boscos Social Club, to analyze the speed of the SUV on Main Street. His analysis puts estimates the car traveling at around 34 mph.
2:15 p.m. update:
The state has called Jaime Sutton, another coach with the Waukesha Xtreme Dance Team. She was also marching in the parade with members of the team. During Sutton's testimony, people in the gallery, including victims and their families, gasped and wept as the state played video evidence.
Sutton recalled seeing the dancers laying in the road after being struck.
"I heard screaming and yelling behind me. And that's when I looked up over my left shoulder," said Sutton. "It [SUV] was on the left side and I was on the far right. So, it wasn't very close to me."
12:00 p.m. update:
The state called witness Alyssa Grajewski, a former coach with Waukesha Xtreme Dance Team, who saw the SUV drive into the parade. She was walking with her dance students, all young girls. Grajewski said she rode with one to the hospital in a squad car. She found another student at the hospital with her mother.
"I was holding her hand, trying to get her to squeeze my hand, so she could stay awake," said Grajewski. "She was going in and out of consciousness. And then she would wake up sobbing. And it would just repeat."
During cross, Grajewski told Brooks that she "blacked out" right after she saw the oncoming vehicle and did not see anyone get hit.
The state used the opportunity to ask her what it sounded like upon re-direct. Grajewski said it sounded like "orange construction barrels" being struck by a car.
9:55 a.m. update:
Jeff Rogers, President of the Waukesha Blazers Baseball Club, describes finding Jackson Sparks after he was struck by the red SUV. Jackson would succumb to his injuries, the youngest person killed in the parade. Two of Rogers' own children were also injured when the car drove through the parade.
"Jackson was motionless on the ground. Eyes open. Didn’t appear to be aware," said Rogers.
9:50 a.m. update:
State witness Kelly Grabow describes seeing her daughter after they were both hit by SUV. "She was lying in the middle of the road. And there was some people trying to help her. Her shoes were down the road, as well as her glasses." The daughter dressed as Cindy Lou Who that day.
Grabow describes the moment the car struck her: "All I seen is the hood of the red vehicle. And I hit the red vehicle, and rolled down to the side -- between the hood of Burris Logistics [float] and the vehicle. I seen the tire go directly in front of my face."
Brooks on cross, asking Grabow if she saw the driver. No, she says, just the hood of the red vehicle. Brooks asking far more questions than the state. He keeps asking witnesses if they could have heard a horn, to suggest, perhaps, the driver of SUV was warning parade-goers.
8:40 a.m. update:
Darrell Brooks is again claiming this court has no jurisdiction to try the defendant: "I mean, we haven't even established that the plaintiff is a living human being and not an entity," he said.
RECAP OF TRIAL ON MONDAY, OCT. 10
On Monday, Brooks returned to court in a suit after wearing his jail-issued orange clothing last Thursday and Friday.
Judge Jennifer Dorow began court by striking a piece of the state's evidence — squad car video — because it references a previous incident that took place between Brooks and the mother of his child before Nov. 21. In the video, Brooks' former partner can be heard saying, "We had an incident and he ran me over with a car."
Brooks then apologized at length to the court for his behavior up to this point. Last week, Brooks even took his shirt off after what the judge called a "scuffle" with bailiffs.
"I'm going to stand up as a man, and tell the whole court, and you, your honor, that I apologize to the bailiffs. That I apologize for my actions. Like I said, that's not how I was raised," said Brooks.
After Brooks' apology, the state's final witness from Friday returned to the stand for cross-examination. Detective Tom Casey said he had to shuffle his feet to get out of the way of the red SUV as it drove through police barriers.
WATCH: Darrell Brooks apologizes for actions in court, 'It's been emotional'
"As I was pounding on the driver's side window, he [driver] turned and looked directly at my face," said Casey.
On cross-examination, Brooks questioned how much witnesses, such as Casey, actually saw on the evening of Nov. 21, 2021.
"Would it be fair to say, that because of the tint to the rear windows, that you could not visibly see the seating of the vehicle you attempted to stop?" said Brooks.
The state followed up by calling another police officer, a woman struck by the SUV, the director of the Waukesha South Marching Band, and a father who had taken his children to the parade.
Waukesha South Director of Bands Sarah Wehmeier Aparicio was walking with the band when the SUV suddenly approached.
"Then I just started seeing things flying through the air," said Wehmeier Aparicio. "I realized this was a vehicle running over people."
Brooks challenged her recollection.
"Would it be fair to say not everyone in your immediate area was not struck," said Brooks.
Brooks is representing himself in his own trial after firing his state-provided attorneys before the trial began last Monday. On Monday, Brooks will have to provide the court with his own list of witnesses.
Prosecutors allege Brooks, 40, killed six people and injured scores of others on Nov. 21 in the Milwaukee suburb of Waukesha. Police said he turned into the parade after fleeing a domestic disturbance, though officers were not pursuing him at the time. The 76 charges he faces include six counts of first-degree intentional homicide. Each of those counts carries a mandatory life sentence.
Brooks has been acting as his own attorney since last week when he demanded Judge Dorow dismiss his public defenders. His trial began Monday with jury selection. Brooks repeatedly interrupted Dorow before prospective jurors were brought in, leading the judge to move him to another courtroom where he could watch via video and speak when she activated his microphone.
Previous coverage:
- Darrell Brooks trial: Mother of his child takes the stand
- Judge rules Brooks is unable to use 'sovereign citizen' defense at trial
- 'I don't want to watch anymore': Waukesha residents weigh in on how the trial of Darrell Brooks is going
- Darrell Brooks trial: State calls first witnesses following opening statements
- Judge denies Brooks' motion to adjourn trial over Covid-19 claims