Array
— The man charged with driving through a 2021 Christmas parade, killing six people and injuring dozens of others, made a tearful opening statement Thursday as he began presenting his own defense.
Darrell Brooks Jr., who waived his right to an attorney and has been representing himself in a monthlong trial filled with disruptions and outbursts, said the incident was not premeditated.
“This incident was not planned. This incident was not intentional. This incident was never even thought about,” Brooks told the jury.
Brooks, 40, of Milwaukee, is charged with six counts of first-degree intentional homicide, 61 counts of recklessly endangering safety, six counts of hit-and-run causing death, two counts of bail jumping — all felonies in connection to the parade tragedy — and one count of misdemeanor battery.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:Everything about the Waukesha Christmas parade attack that killed 6Defendant gives emotional opening statement
Brooks was visibly emotional as he talked about the impact to the families of victims, the community of Waukesha and his own family. He removed the face mask he has donned for most of the trial so the jury could “see me for who I am, no mask.”
“There’s always two sides to every story,” he said. “There’s only been one side told to this story.”
Brooks’ opening statement came after attorneys with the district attorney’s office rested their case following more than a week and a half of testimony.
Prosecutors questioned witnesses who were at the parade, officers involved in the investigation and residents of the neighborhood where Brooks was ultimately arrested. They showed videos of the car striking people and displayed the items of clothing Brooks allegedly discarded after abandoning the car.
