Prosecutors told jurors on Tuesday that the Wisconsin man accused of ploughing an SUV into a Christmas parade last year, killing six people and seriously hurting many more, had a clear intention to kill people (local time).
In relation to the chaos that occurred in Waukesha, a Milwaukee suburb, last November, Darrell Brooks is charged with 76 offences, including six counts of first-degree intentional homicide.
If found guilty of any of the homicide counts, he would be sentenced to life in prison without parole.
As Brooks’ month-long trial came to an end, Waukesha County District Attorney Susan Opper concentrated on Brooks’ intention during her final statements.
She claimed that the fact that he did not stop after striking the first parade participant demonstrated his intention to kill people.
Just pull over now. I’m done now. It really is that easy. If he had just stopped driving that day, not a single person would have been injured, according to Opper.
“He ploughed through 68 different people. Sixty-eight.
How is it possible to hit one and continue? How do you hit two while continuing? How is it possible to make three and keep going? He wasn’t at all alarmed by it. He persisted until there were no more bodies left to strike at the end.
She concluded her remarks by playing a video of what she said was “the carnage” Brooks caused in the parade.
Judge Jennifer Dorow appeared to wince while watching the footage at one point in the livestream that The Associated Press has been using to follow the trial proceedings, and Deputy District Attorney Lesli Boese tried to fight back tears.
Brooks initially entered a not guilty plea on the grounds of a mental illness, but he abruptly retracted it in September. He fired his public defenders just days before the start of his trial on October 3 and chose to represent himself.
He has argued with Dorow throughout every day of the trial, refusing to acknowledge his own name and maintaining that the state lacks jurisdiction over him.
The judge has ordered bailiffs to shift him to a different courtroom on several occasions so that he can view the proceedings on video while maintaining control of his microphone in case he becomes disruptive.
On Tuesday, the judge let him to address the jury in person during his closing remarks (local time).
He made an attempt to counter that the SUV had been recalled because of a throttle issue. A Wisconsin State Patrol vehicle inspector testified earlier in the trial that the car’s brakes and other systems were in good operating order. When Opper disagreed, he suggested that the driver may have become anxious. He mentioned some witnesses who claimed to have heard the SUV’s horn honk.
While he didn’t fully admit that he was the driver, he did say that he frequently wonders how “this” happened at night while by himself in his cell. However, he has never questioned whether “this” was on purpose because he is certain it wasn’t. He used the term “this,” but he didn’t say what he meant.
According to Brooks, “I’ve been called a number of things during this year.” And to be honest, I am many different things. One of them is not a murderer.
Opper countered with, “You need to look in the mirror, Mr. Brooks.
“You are acting like a murderer,”
As the parade was beginning on November 21, according to the prosecution, Brooks and his ex-girlfriend got into a confrontation on the streets of Waukesha. Brooks allegedly escaped in his SUV and drove it into the parade.
The only reason Brooks entered the march, according to Opper, was because he was angry.
He is charged with homicide and 61 counts of reckless endangerment.
A mandatory life sentence is imposed for each count of homicide. Each reckless endangerment count carries a maximum sentence of 17 and a half years in prison..
Prosecutors say the Wisconsin parade suspect intended to hurt people.
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