WAUKESHA, Wis. (WLS) — Jury deliberations are underway in the Waukesha holiday parade attack trial.
Prosecutors wrapped up their closing arguments on Tuesday, explaining to jurors why they believe they’ve proven that Darrell Brooks is guilty of intentionally murdering six people and injuring dozens more during the parade last November.
Prosecutors ended closing arguments with a video that they said shows all the carnage he caused. The prosecutor apologized to the jury for the graphic nature of the video, but said they felt like it was important to show.
Brooks is acting as his own attorney, and as has happened numerous times over the course of the extended trial, the judge removed Brooks from the courtroom again on Tuesday just before closing arguments began because of frequent outbursts.
Brooks is facing 76 felony counts, including intentional first degree homicide and hit and run causing death.
Brooks is accused of driving through Waukesha’s annual holiday parade for several blocks, hitting and killing performers and spectators, and badly injuring others.
Prosecutors said Brooks sped through the crowded parade route in a fit of rage after an argument and then fled from police and tried to hide.
In his own closing argument, Brooks broke down and asked the jury to “do what’s right.”
Judge Jennifer Dorow gave the jury instructions after closing arguments ended.
She later told Brooks and the prosecution, outside the presence of the jury, about concerns over a Reddit post by someone claiming to be a juror.
The post, visible under a subReddit entitled “Justice4Darrell,” accused Dorow of being biased against Brooks, saying, in part, “clearly she is not an impartial judge and has been trying to belittle, demean, bully and pull procedural tricks on him fairly frequently.”
Dorow said there is no credible information supporting the user’s claim to be a juror, saying she is handing off the issue to law enforcement.
“At this time, it is simply being investigated,” Dorow said.
Throughout the trial, Brooks has spared with the judge, at one point removed his own shirt, and aggressively cross examined who prosecutors say are victims of the crimes he committed.
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Prosecutors made their final pitch to jurors this afternoon, arguing that Brooks’ deadly tear through the parade was intentional.
He’s charged with driving an SUV through last year’s parade, killing six people and injuring several more.
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Judge Dorow determined Monday that Brooks would rest his defense, after he was unable to produce a witness to testify.
Monday’s proceedings began with Brooks again arguing with Judge Dorow, and she placed him in another room.
After refusing to answer the judge’s questions about any additional witnesses, Dorow determined the defense would rest, and jury instructions would be read ahead of closing arguments.
Brooks, who has no legal training, is representing himself at the trial. He has repeatedly disrupted the court proceedings with defiant and outlandish behavior.
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District Attorney Susan Opper rested her case after 2 1/2 weeks of testimony, including from multiple police officers and others who attended the parade. They variously testified that they saw the SUV enter the parade, were hit by the SUV or saw Brooks behind the wheel.
Brooks then gave a tearful opening statement as he defended himself at trial but didn’t outline any defense theories that might save him from prison.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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