Prosecutors: Wisconsin parade suspect meant to hurt people

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin man accused of killing six individuals and injuring many others by driving an SUV right into a Christmas parade final 12 months clearly supposed to kill individuals, prosecutors informed jurors Tuesday.

Darrell Brooks faces 76 costs in reference to the mayhem final November in Waukesha, a Milwaukee suburb, together with six counts of first-degree intentional murder. He would face obligatory life in jail if convicted of any of the murder counts.

Waukesha County District Legal professional Susan Opper targeted on Brooks’ intent throughout her closing arguments as Brooks’ monthlong trial wound down. His failure to cease after hitting the primary particular person within the parade reveals he supposed to kill individuals, she mentioned.

“Simply cease driving. That’s it. It’s actually that easy. Not one particular person needed to be damage that day if he would have simply stopped driving,” Opper mentioned. “He plowed by way of 68 totally different individuals. Sixty-eight. How will you hit one and preserve going? How will you hit two and preserve going? How will you hit three and preserve going? It didn’t faze him a bit. He saved going till he bought to the tip and there have been no extra our bodies to hit.”

She concluded her remarks by taking part in a video of what she mentioned was “the carnage” Brooks brought on within the parade.

The livestream The Related Press has been utilizing to view the trial proceedings didn’t pan to the video, however Choose Jennifer Dorow appeared to wince at one level whereas viewing it, and Deputy District Legal professional Lesli Boese appeared to choke again tears.

Brooks initially pleaded not responsible by purpose of psychological illness however withdrew the plea in September with out clarification. Simply days earlier than his trial started Oct. 3, he dismissed his public defenders and elected to symbolize himself.

He has spent day-after-day of the trial arguing with Dorow, refusing to acknowledge his personal identify and insisting the state has no jurisdiction over him. A number of occasions, the choose has had bailiffs transfer him to a different courtroom the place he may watch the proceedings by way of video however she may mute his microphone when he turned disruptive.

The choose allowed him to present his closing arguments to the jury in particular person on Tuesday. He tried to argue that the SUV had been recalled because of a throttle malfunction. After Opper objected — a Wisconsin State Patrol car inspector testified earlier within the trial that the car was in good working order, together with the brakes — he recommended the motive force may need panicked. He famous that some witnesses testified they heard the SUV’s horn honking.

He didn’t fairly acknowledge he was the motive force however mentioned that at night time when he’s alone in his cell he typically asks questions how “this” occurred. However he has by no means requested himself if “this” was intentional as a result of he is aware of it wasn’t. He didn’t clarify what he was referring to with the phrase “this.”

“All through this 12 months I’ve been referred to as a variety of issues,” Brooks mentioned. “And to be truthful I’m a variety of issues. A assassin just isn’t one in all them.”

“It’s good to look within the mirror, Mr. Brooks,” Opper mentioned throughout her rebuttal. “Your actions are that of a assassin. “

Prosecutors allege Brooks bought right into a combat along with his ex-girlfriend on the streets of Waukesha because the parade was beginning Nov. 21, fled in his SUV and drove it into the parade. Opper informed the jury that she doesn’t know why Brooks entered the parade apart from he was enraged.

Along with the murder counts, he faces 61 counts of reckless endangerment. Every murder depend carries a compulsory life sentence. Every reckless endangerment depend carries a most sentence of 17 1/2 years in jail.

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