The trial of Darrell Brooks, the suspect in the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack, is set to begin on October 3. Here’s a recap of significant events in the legal saga surrounding Brooks since the attack.
On November 21, 2021, a red Ford Escape SUV was driven through barricades and into the crowd of people attending the annual Waukesha Christmas Parade. 62 people were injured and six killed. That same day, police arrested Darrell Brooks on suspicion of being the driver of the car.
LEGAL PROCEDURES
Brooks pleaded not guilty to all charges in February 2022. He is facing 77 charges including first-degree intentional homicide, hit and run causing death, and recklessly endangering safety.
The case prompted a controversy over bail reform in Wisconsin. Brooks was out on $1000 bail in a case involving him running over the mother of his child when the attack occurred. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisolm would call the bail “inappropriately low” for the severity of Brooks’ charge and blame human error for the mistake.
After Brooks entered his not guilty plea, he changed it to not guilty by reason of insanity in June. Waukesha County Circuit Judge Jennifer Dorrow, who is presiding over the case, also ruled at the same time that the trial would not receive a change in venue and would start in Waukesha on October 3.
Brooks was found competent to stand trial and then withdrew his insanity plea on September 9th.
LATE PRETRIAL CHANGE
The last major change before the trial came in recent weeks when Brooks requested for Judge Dorrow to allow him to represent himself. Brooks has had outbursts and combative exchanges with Judge Dorrow for months, but she did eventually allow him to serve as his own attorney.
Brooks’ mom spoke to TMJ4 News ahead of the trial after writing a letter to Judge Dorrow asking her to deny her son’s request to represent himself. Dawn Woods said she believed he wouldn’t get a fair trial and blamed his actions both during the attack and the legal proceedings on his mental illness.
Judge Dorrow also affirmed Brooks’ request to be able to ask potential jurors about political ads featuring him that have been broadcast in recent months.
Jury selection is set to begin on Monday, October 3. Judge Dorrow has said she anticipates the trial to take at least three weeks and hopes to both start and finish jury selection on the same day.
