Waukesha parade killer Darrell Brooks sentenced to life in prison
After a two-day hearing, a Wisconsin man was convicted of six murders and injuring many more during a Christmas parade in Wisconsin last year. He was sentenced Wednesday to life imprisonment.
Jennifer Dorow, Waukesha County Circuit Judge, sentenced Darrell Brooks (40), to six mandatory terms in prison. Brooks was convicted on Oct. 26th of 76 criminal charges including six counts for intentional homicide.
Brooks drove his sport utility vehicle deliberately through police barricades and into crowds of people at Waukesha’s annual parade, which took place about 15 miles west from downtown Milwaukee.
Brooks wept in court as he said, “I want to tell you that I’m sorry for what happened.”
On Tuesday, dozens of relatives of the victims and those who were injured in the accident told Brooks about their loved ones. Brooks was dressed in orange prison clothes and had a surgical mask covering his nose and mouth.
“Today is our time. Today is for us. Today is for us.
Leanna Owen was performing as part of her troupe, the Dancing Grannies, when she was struck by lightning and killed. The incident resulted in five deaths, including an 8 year-old boy. More than 60 other people were also injured, including at most 18 children.
Brooks, a Milwaukee resident, represented himself at the trial and called several people to speak on his behalf to the court before he was sentenced.
Mary Edwards, a Detroit minister, said that Brooks had suffered from bipolar mental illness since the age of 12 and that it caused him to drive through crowds.
