Darrell Brooks convicted in lethal Wisconsin Christmas parade assault By Reuters

By Brendan O’Brien

(Reuters) – Darrell Brooks, a Wisconsin man who killed six folks and injured dozens of others when he drove his SUV right into a Christmas parade close to Milwaukee final yr, was discovered responsible on Wednesday of intentional homicide and different costs.

A 12-member jury convicted Brooks, 40, of greater than 76 costs, together with six counts of intentional murder, every of which carries a compulsory penalty of life in jail.

Brooks, sporting a swimsuit and tie and a blue surgical masks over his nostril and mouth, bowed his head towards his clasped palms whereas Waukesha County Circuit Decide Jennifer Dorow learn the verdicts.

Brooks was accused of intentionally driving his sport utility automobile by means of police barricades on Nov. 21 and plowing into crowds of individuals collaborating within the annual parade in Waukesha, about 15 miles (25 km) west of downtown Milwaukee.

The useless ranged in age from 8 to 81, and greater than 60 others have been injured, together with a minimum of 18 youngsters. Among the many casualties have been members of a dance troupe often known as the “Dancing Grannies.”

Brooks, a Milwaukee resident, represented himself in the course of the three-week trial.

Throughout his closing argument on Monday, Brooks instructed the jury that he had no intention of wounding anybody. He stated he sounded the automobile’s horn as he drove by means of the gang, trying to warn folks to get out of the best way.

“Whenever you experience by means of a parade route and roll over youngsters … your intent is thought, Mr. Brooks,” Waukesha County District Lawyer Sue Opper stated throughout closing arguments. “That is not an accident.”

Earlier than the verdicts have been learn on Wednesday, Brooks requested the choose to rule on a number of motions, together with a request for a mistrial. She denied all of them as she waited for the jury to return to the courtroom.

On quite a few events in the course of the proceedings, Dorow admonished Brooks for failing to comply with court docket guidelines and arguing together with her. She eliminated Brooks from the courtroom a number of occasions, sending him to a different room the place he watched the proceedings.

At one level, Brooks took off his shirt within the different room, earlier than Dorow, seeing him on a digital camera feed seen within the courtroom, stopped the proceedings and gave the court docket a break, journalists overlaying the trial reported.

On the time of the assault, Brooks was out on bail on a home abuse cost. He was arrested close to the scene and has been in custody ever since.