WAUKESHA, Wis. — The mother of Darrell Brooks, the man accused of killing six and injuring dozens in the Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy, sent a letter to Judge Jennifer Dorow requesting her son not be allowed to defend himself at trial.
TMJ4 received a copy of the letter Wednesday, in which Brooks' mother, Dawn Woods, says she's worried about her son's mental health.
Woods wrote the letter Tuesday, beginning it by saying. "I am not sure if this is right or proper, but I have to try anyway."
She wrote that she is deeply concerned, and has been for a month. According to the letter, Woods reached out to Brooks attorney's a month ago expressing her concerns, and saying she could tell he was becoming unstable.
Woods claims his attorneys blew her off.
"I am now asking you to please please do not let him represent himself," Woods wrote. "I tried to reason with him on Monday. When I spoke to him he told me he doesn't feel comfortable with his attorneys' way of how they want to present his case."
Woods claims that she told Brooks he should voice his concerns to Judge Dorow but, "he wouldn't list to reason."
"He is not stable mentally enough to fully understand the big mistake he is making by wanting to represent himself... he doesn't understand. That alone should be enough to see he's not capable of being his own attorney."
She went on to write that she is unsure if there was anything Dorow can do, but she felt she had to try.
"He needs all the help he can get and then some."
Woods proposed getting Brooks different attorneys or just a different approach.
"I understand the witnesses wanting closure, so do I. It's been unbearable for as well. Believe me when I say that he is not stable to represent himself at trial."
Brooks will appear in court again Wednesday after Dorow delayed her decision Tuesday.
You can read the full letter below.