NewsDarrell Brooks Trial

Actions

Waukesha Christmas Parade: Darrell Brooks makes final court appearance before trial

The man accused in the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack, Darrell Brooks, made his final court appearance on Monday before the start of his trial.
Darrell Brooks Parade Scene.jpg
Posted at 5:06 PM, Sep 19, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-19 23:20:25-04

WAUKESHA, Wis. — The man accused in the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack, Darrell Brooks, made his final court appearance on Monday before the start of his trial.

Brooks said little, answering yes or no to several questions. Judge Jennifer Dorow and attorneys spent hours smoothing out final issues before the Oct. 3 start.

Dorow said more than 300 people will be called for jury duty. On Monday, they finalized questions for jurors. Dorow said she believes they can seat a jury of 12 on the first day.

The court also reviewed which of Brooks' prior convictions, such as bail jumping, can be included during the trial.

The judge also agreed with the state where the jurors will view the SUV Brooks allegedly drove into the parade. The defense said the expected location of viewing — the sheriff's department's sally port — would prejudice the jury.

The state asked cameras to not show the faces of the victims testifying. While not agreeing, the judge suggested there could be exceptions for certain victims.

"I'm not going to focus my time babysitting the cameras. I'm just going to be blunt — I need to focus my time and energy on witnesses, on the evidence that's coming in, ruling on objections. That's not to be insensitive. I understand," said Dorow.

It's unclear how long the trial may take. The court has blocked off a month for the trial. The state says they expect five to seven business days to make their case.

Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip