Darrell Brooks was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of extended supervision for ramming his SUV into a throng of people watching a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, last year, killing six and injuring scores.
Dorow sentenced Brooks to six consecutive life sentences for the victims he killed, and an additional 762 years for the dozens of people he injured, many still recovering from debilitating physical and psychological injuries incurred when Brooks drove his vehicle through throngs of participants at last year’s annual holiday parade.
In a clean sweep for the prosecution, a jury found Brooks, 40, guilty last month on all 76 counts stemming from the attack, including six counts of first-degree intentional homicide with the use of a dangerous weapon.
After hearing testimony from victims and family members over two days, Judge Jennifer Dorow imposed the mandatory punishment, ordering Brooks to serve each of the first-degree homicide counts as a life sentence without the prospect of extended supervision. She stated that the sentences would be read in order.
Brooks’ grandmother, Mary Edwards, said it was her prayer Brooks “will sincerely and humbly apologize,” and she apologized herself “to those who have been hurt so badly by what has happened, this tragedy that has been caused by my grandson.” Brooks, who represented himself, apologized only once, saying no one can see the regret he feels.
“I want you to know not only am I sorry for what happened, I’m sorry that you could not see what’s truly in my heart, that you cannot see the remorse that I have,” he told the court. “That you cannot count all the tears that I have dropped in this year.”
Prosecutors asked that Brooks face the maximum sentences allowed, served consecutively, in the November 21, 2021, attack.
“You saw the videos. This wasn’t him plowing into one large group of 50 people at one time and hitting them,” Opper said. “He hit one, kept going. Hit two, kept going. Hit three, kept going – all the way down the street. That’s consecutive sentences, your honor. That’s intentional, willful, volitional conduct that warrants consecutive sentences stacked one on top of the other, just as he stacked victims up as he drove down the road in complete disregard for any other person.”
In addition to the 762½ years for reckless endangerment, Dorow added three years each for two bail-jumping convictions and nine months for domestic battery. The lengthy prison term is necessary to keep the community safe, she said. To do anything less would be to “unduly depreciate the seriousness of these offenses,” she said.
What did Darrell Brooks do?
After a fight with his ex-girlfriend, Brooks drove his red Ford Escape into the parade in downtown Waukesha on 21 November 2021. Six individuals were killed, including an eight-year-old boy marching with his baseball team and three members of the “Dancing Grannies” organization.
According to the criminal complaint, 62 individuals were hurt, up from 48 originally disclosed by police, and the then 39-year-old steered side-to-side with the goal of striking marchers and spectators.
The incident left a severe scar in the 70,000-person community approximately 16 miles west of Milwaukee. Residents erected tributes to the deceased and held vigils.
Who is Darrell Brooks?
Darrell Brooks grew up in Milwaukee and has a lengthy criminal record dating back to September 1999.
He was arrested on the night of the incident, shortly after telling a Waukesha resident that he was homeless and that he needed to call an Uber. The man was unaware of the events that had occurred and allowed Brooks to enter his home, giving him a sandwich and lending him a jacket, but requesting him to leave when police arrived.
Brooks is thought to have acted alone and did not know anyone at the parade. He had a history of advocating violence against white people and Jews on social media and was said to have posted antisemitic content on Facebook. He also talked about becoming a “terrorist” and a “killer in the city” throughout his amateur rap career.
