Darrell Brooks trial: Defendant calls for mistrial over Reddit post
WAUKESHA, Wis. - Twelve Waukesha County jurors entered their second day of deliberations in the Darrell Brooks trial on Wednesday, Oct. 26. A verdict was reached at 9:43 a.m. It was read in open court at 10:45 a.m. Brooks was convicted on all 76 counts in the case. The jury said the verdict was unanimous on all counts.
The jury began deliberating at 6:24 p.m. Tuesday. They were dismissed for the night shortly after 8 p.m. They were sequestered at a hotel Tuesday night.
Brooks' convictions in connection with the Waukesha Christmas parade attack in November 2021 include six counts of first-degree intentional homicide. He faces a mandatory life term in prison on each of those six convictions and additional prison time for the others.
Brooks calls for mistrial over Reddit post
Darrell Brooks
Court opened on Wednesday morning with a couple of updates. Judge Jennifer Dorow noted that a Reddit post that was allegedly posted Tuesday evening was a "prank." The post was allegedly written by a juror in the Brooks trial. The Waukesha County Sheriff's Department was ordered to investigate this social post and the person or persons behind it.
Brooks called the information about the Reddit post "very concerning" and even suggested the court look into a mistrial.
"Just for the concern factor, the language, it's pretty clear it came from a juror or someone who sits in this courtroom every single day," Brooks told the judge. "It's too many questions, and it's too concerning.
Judge Jennifer Dorow
Judge Dorow responded to Brooks' comments by saying the case surrounding the social post remained speculative, and there were no grounds for a mistrial.
Christmas parade attack
Brooks drove a red SUV through the parade route on Nov. 21, 2021, killing six and injuring more than 60 others.
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On Nov. 21, 2021, Brooks met up with his ex-girlfriend in Frame Park, the same woman he is accused of running over with his red SUV earlier in November 2021. She told police they argued in his SUV before he started driving, and he "was driving around with one hand and striking her in the face with his other hand." She eventually got out and called her friends for help.
Waukesha parade attack victims identified
Soon after that Brooks drove that red SUV through the parade route, killing Jackson Sparks, 8, Virginia Sorenson, 79, LeAnna Owen, 71, Tamara Durand, 52, Jane Kulich, 52 and Wilhelm Hospel, 81. More than 60 others were hurt.