WAUKESHA, Wis. — The state still has yet to rest its case in the trial of Darrell Brooks, the man accused of killing six people and injuring dozens more in the Waukesha Christmas Parade.
On Tuesday, the state began by calling back Waukesha Police Detective Jay Carpenter. He interrogated Brooks for hours the day after the parade attack.
During the interrogation, Carpenter presented Brooks with images he believes show Brooks behind the wheel of the red SUV. He also asked Brooks to watch video of the SUV striking people. Brooks refused to look.
"At that specific point, Mr. Brooks struck members of the Waukesha South Marching Band, and I wanted him to see it," said Carpenter.
Brooks repeatedly told detectives he'd cooperate with their questions if they told him all of the charges he was facing. They did not. At that time, charges were still developing.
"All I'm thinking about right now is, what a hell of a journey it's been," said Brooks. "But this is how my story ends. That's all I been thinking about, right?"
Prosecutors said they plan to rest their case by the end of the day Wednesday. That's several days behind their original hopes of wrapping things up by the end of last week. Jurors still have more witnesses to hear, as well as plans to see the red SUV involved in the parade attack for themselves.
On Monday, the state called witnesses who testified they encountered Brooks shortly after he allegedly drove an SUV into the Christmas parade. The witnesses said Brooks seemed disoriented and that he was shoeless and without a jacket. One man, Daniel Rider, said he let Brooks into his home to use his phone and warm up. Rider said he asked Brooks to leave when he saw squad cars patrolling the street.
While the state hopes to wrap up its case by Wednesday, prosecutors say it's unclear whether or not Brooks will have time to begin presenting his witnesses on Wednesday afternoon. His defense may begin on Thursday.
To get the latest information on the trial of Darrell Brooks, view our reporting in this article and the live tweeting from our reporters in court.
LATEST UPDATES FROM DARRELL BROOKS TRIAL: TUESDAY, OCT. 18
~ filed from TMJ4's Bruce Harrison in court
2:15 p.m. update:
State announced it is hoping to rest its case by the end of the day Wednesday. Brooks is yet to provide a timeline for his witnesses. State is helping him line it up.
"They graciously agreed to do that because you are representing yourself," Judge Dorow tells Brooks. She also told him he can handle contacting all of his witnesses himself if he chooses.
Brooks responded with, "That's highly unreasonable, your honor."
The state served the subpoenas on Brooks' behalf.
12 p.m. update:
Detectives aren't dancing around it anymore and pushed Brooks in interrogation: "You have lied to us as well. You came out here in the red Ford Escape. You had the key. What I want to do is give us a chance to reset. Start over. Because you're not giving us an accurate story."
State stops the video in court after Brooks asks if he's charged with anything. Carpenter, now on the stand, says Mr. Brooks was dishonest. State asks if the key fits the car. Yes, says Carpenter. And the key was found in his pocket. Brooks, under his breath, says "yeah, I bet you know that."
11:42 a.m. update:
Brooks tells detectives his phone was dead. That's why he was asking other people to borrow a phone that night to call an Uber. He claims he didn't leave it in a car -- though detectives had already found it inside the red SUV.
We're now watching clips of detectives interrogating Brooks the day after the parade. He's in custody, wearing the same red shirt on the night of his arrest. They haven't gotten to the parade yet. "How did you end up at a random house without your shoes and phone, Darrell?" they ask.
11:26 a.m. update:
Brooks has quickly returned to the courtroom. He immediately began to argue subject matter jurisdiction with the judge. It's almost playful this time. He's smiling. Confident that he's correct. The jury is coming in and we're getting back to the state's examination of Det. Carpenter.
10:52 a.m. update:
For a quick recap: The judge tossed Brooks from the courtroom for interrupting the state's cross-examination of his own first witness. Needless to say, a real rough start to his defense. Cameras are back up after a break and we can see Brooks sitting in the next courtroom, appearing upset.
"He was muttering under his breath, clearly showing disrespect for the court and the proceedings. In my opinion, they're baseless objections," said Judge Dorow on the choice to toss Brooks from the courtroom. "[Aim] is to disrupt these proceedings, disrupt the testimony of the witnesses."
10:25 a.m. update:
Judge Dorow has just removed Brooks to a second courtroom. We haven't seen this since the first week of the trial. He was commenting during witness testimony and accusing the judge of making up the law as she goes. He'll now be present via video/under muted mic next door.
Watch the heated exchange and his removal below:
9:50 a.m. update:
We're early in the interrogation of Brooks the day after the parade. Detectives attempted to build rapport with Brooks, chatting about the abuse allegations his girlfriend brought against him the day of the parade. Brooks also lied to detectives that his children lived with him at the time.
On the allegations, Brooks said, "Why would you put me in that situation? You know we going to end up being together anyway." Detectives asked him what brought him to Waukesha that day. To watch a game, he said, with a friend. Brooks said he was unfamiliar with the city.
Brooks' behavior in interrogation resembles his behavior in the courtroom. He's quick to interrupt and interject. At times, he becomes excited and his tone changes. "Listen Carpenter, you been straight up with me. I just want to know, what I'm looking at, and I want to notify my girls," Brooks said.
Carpenter said as he begins to push on a vehicle (how Brooks got to Waukesha), Brooks becomes uncomfortable in the interrogation and brings back up injuries he's alleged to have suffered during the arrest the night before. "It was alarming," Carpenter says of that change.
9:30 a.m. update:
Carpenter's testimony today is expected to take hours. And that's just with the state. Right now, we're hearing him chat with Brooks the following day of the parade attack. Brooks is chatty, in a buoyant mood - joking with the detective about attending Riverside and being a Riverside Tiger.
8:55 a.m. update:
Detective Jay Carpenter has returned to the stand. He began his testimony on Monday.
8:40 a.m. update:
The state starts by warning Brooks about "opening the door" to evidence of other acts coming into court. In particular, video of his interrogation with a detective that references other domestic incidents.
Those incidents in Milwaukee County are not being allowed into court, before the jury. The gist is, if Brooks brings it up, it's fair game. Deputy District Attorney Boese said, "If he opens the door, I assure you I will go into it. I did want to put that on the record. Not to be a jerk about it."
The state brought this up, noting Brooks has been referencing other video evidence in his defense without specific time codes. So, he runs the risk of exposing the jury to moments (beyond the night of the parade) that could harm his case.
RECAP OF COURT PROCEEDINGS FROM MONDAY, OCT. 17
The trial of Darrell Brooks, the man accused of killing six people and injuring dozens more during the Waukesha Christmas Parade, heads into its third week.
Monday's proceedings come after a dramatic end to the second week, including testimony from police and increasing frustration from Judge Jennifer Dorow due to Brooks' behavior in the courtroom.
On Monday, the state called witnesses who testified they encountered Brooks shortly after he allegedly drove an SUV into the Christmas parade. The witnesses said Brooks seemed disoriented and that he was shoeless and without a jacket.
One man, Daniel Rider, told the state he let Brooks into his home to warm up and use his phone to call an Uber.
"He was grateful. 'Thank you so much for showing me love, man.' And he was calling me 'bro.' I guess that didn't make me feel like I was in any danger at that moment," said Rider on the stand.
Ring doorbell video, which Rider provided to the investigators, shows him leading Brooks out of his home and onto his porch. Brooks returns a jacket he borrowed from Rider and Rider's phone. Not long after, police, who were looking for a man going door-to-door asking to make a call, sight Brooks.
"Hands up, put your hands up where I can see them," yells Big Bend Police Officer Rebecca Carpenter. The moment is captured on her body camera.
Brooks complies and, at Carpenter's urging, gets on the ground, where he identifies himself as Brooks, Darrell.
Waukesha Police Officer Garrett Luling testified that he was there for the arrest, and assisted in putting Brooks into a squad car.
Luling said that he was familiar with Brooks' name because, upon a previous search of the abandoned SUV, an officer had found documents with the defendant's name on them.
The state said on Monday that it expects to rest its case on Wednesday. It's unclear, the state said, whether or not Brooks will have time to begin presenting his witnesses on Wednesday afternoon. His defense may begin on Thursday.
The 76 charges Brooks faces include six counts of first-degree intentional homicide. Each of those counts carries a mandatory life sentence. Brooks has been acting as his own attorney since he motioned to dismiss his attorneys and act as his own defense.
