Darrell Brooks Jr., 39 entered the pleas to 77 charges. This includes six counts of homicide as well multiple counts of reckless endangerment. The court appearance lasted less that five minutes. Brooks’ lawyers filed for a change in venue on Thursday. However, it is not known when this motion will be considered. Brooks is still held on $5 million bail.
Kevin Costello, the court commissioner, stated last month that Brooks had provided “ample” evidence to prove his guilt and ordered Brooks to stand trial.
Thomas Casey, a police detective, testified that Brooks drove his SUV through downtown Waukesha’s parade on Nov. 21.
Brooks described the vehicle’s zigzag across the street, smashing into marchers and running over them. Brooks, he said, had injured 61 people including six of the victims he killed.
Brooks’ attorney Anna Kees (public defender) maintained that he could not turn off the parade route due to the barricades and crowds on the side streets. She also noted that Brooks told detectives he didn’t intend to kill anyone, and that he couldn’t bear to look at photos of the destruction when they showed him.