On Tuesday of this week, Darrell Brooks was removed from the courtroom during his own trial because he could not stop making snide comments and interrupting the court. Today, Brooks had another meltdown, this time over the addition of a new exhibit which turned out to be one of his own rap videos.
Just to set up where we are in this trial, the state is calling its last witness today and then the rest of the week will be taken up with 12 witnesses that Brooks intends to call for his defense (one of which he has already called out of order because of a scheduling issue). He has not decided if he will testify in his own defense. So with that in mind, the prosecutors spent the morning tying Darrell Brooks to the red Ford SUV used in the Christmas parade attack. It wasn’t hard to do. There’s video from the attack showing the SUV and the license plate. There’s also video of Brooks performing a rap video in front of the same SUV with the same plate number.
Still shot from rap video showing #DarrellBrooks (from behind) next to the red suv with matching license plates. pic.twitter.com/gP5ughG5kn
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) October 20, 2022
It got worse for Brooks after that. A doorbell video provided by his mother showed him walking around the same SUV the morning of the attack and, at that time, you could clearly see there was no damage to the vehicle’s front end.
Here's a still shot showing #DarrellBrooks from the front wearing the red t-shirt and jeans. #WaukeshaParade pic.twitter.com/3uU0xEjv83
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) October 20, 2022
Maybe this was getting to Brooks because he started challenging the judge’s authority again.
WOW!
Judge: Next question sir.
Brooks: Are you asking or telling me?
Judge: Do you have a question?
Brooks: Yes, I do and I'd like to get to it. #DarrellBrooks #SovereignCitizen pic.twitter.com/vOXn3frHEB— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) October 20, 2022
Here he is admonishing the judge and arguing the law with her.
Brooks to the judge: You don't gotta keep doin' that. You don't gotta keep doin' that.#DarrellBrooks #WaukeshaParade #SovereignCitizen pic.twitter.com/0UC5S2hHHj
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) October 20, 2022
In any case, Brooks managed to step on a rake when he asked a detective on cross how he knew the person in the rap video screengrab (see above) was in fact Darrell Brooks. Since the identification was being challenged, the prosecutors asked to play the video so the jury could see it was definitely Darrell Brooks.
Under cross-exam #DarrellBrooks questioned the detective about how he knew the person in the still shot of the rap video was Brooks. Detective said he watched the entire video. Now under re-direct the prosecutor wants to play the video and Brooks is freaking out.
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) October 20, 2022
The judge determined that the video could be played but without the audio. Brooks, who again set up the playing of the video by questioning the identification in the still shot, interrupted to complain that the video had not been previously added as an exhibit (which appears to be true).
Now the rap video is played for the jury without audio to prove it's #DarrellBrooks next to the red suv in the video. #WaukeshaParade pic.twitter.com/ZPB7PbVcTI
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) October 20, 2022
The point of this is that in the video you can see it’s Darrell Brooks with the same SUV used in the attack. The detective who was on the stand said so under questioning by the prosecutors. Brooks clearly wasn’t happy and started demanding to know when the video had been made an exhibit. He then lashed out at the prosecutors who he claimed were laughing at him.
Objection, why is everything so funny at that table? – #DarrellBrooks asks about the prosecutors.
Judge: I didn't see it.
Brooks: All these cameras in here and don't nobody never see nothing. #WaukeshaParade pic.twitter.com/Wm2u8drmTn
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) October 20, 2022
Minutes later he accused the judge of hiding things from the jury (while the jury was leaving the room).
Brooks: You hide things from the jury…..
I see what you people are trying to do and it's not right. It's not fair and it's not right.
(this is said in front of the jury)#DarrellBrooks #SovereignCitizen pic.twitter.com/DxtMBPswD0— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) October 20, 2022
Finally, we return to the issue of the rap video. Brooks again said he didn’t know it was an exhibit and the judge responds, “Mr. Brooks, I presume, and you can correct me if I’m wrong, but you’re familiar with that video. Yes or no?” Brooks wanted to know why that mattered and Judge Dorow explained that she was going to make a ruling. She pointed out the obvious: “It appears to me, even without the video, that that’s a music video, that you are in it, that the vehicle that has been the subject of this entire case, that red Ford Escape with the plate that’s been testified to, is in that video. That video is relevant for a number of different reasons.”
"Are you asking me to be quiet or are you telling me to be quiet?!" #DarrellBrooks yells at the judge.
D.A. "He is not in control of this courtroom, you are and he needs to respect that." #SovereignCitizen pic.twitter.com/3u9FpIsOt0
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) October 20, 2022
Finally the prosecutors have had enough of Darrell Brooks behavior in court. They are venting that the video was clearly relevant and there is no problem making it an exhibit at any time.
D.A. Opper has had it. She has kept her cool the entire trial throughout #DarrellBrooks nonsense but now she's letting loose.
WATCH: pic.twitter.com/Q1tBfYhtOH— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) October 20, 2022
Brooks responded by lashing back at the prosecutors saying they’ve been disruptive and laughing at him throughout the trial.
Brooks: She must think I'm an idiot
Judge: Nobody thinks that(I beg to differ.) #DarrellBrooks #SovereignCitizen pic.twitter.com/1R5VOYEJge
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) October 20, 2022
Brooks went on to tell the judge he didn’t like her tone! And for once Judge Dorow seemed close to losing her temper but still managed to bring it back to court business.
Brooks to the judge: "Man, I don't like your tone and I don't appreciate it."
Judge: "Stop talking!"
Brooks: "What you mean stop talking?#DarrellBrooks #SovereignCitizen pic.twitter.com/rGDshGoRCC
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) October 20, 2022
Judge leaves the bench mid-Brooks rant. We are on break. #DarrellBrooks
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) October 20, 2022
A short time later the state rested its case and at that point a defense attorney would normally request an acquittal (which obviously would not be granted in this case) but the question just confused Brooks. He’s not an attorney and the judge can’t advise him because she’s not his attorney either.
Brooks doesn't know that it's standard for the defense to bring a motion for judgment of acquittal (dismiss charges) after the state rests. Judge asks him if he has any requests now that the stay has rested. He keeps saying, "I don't understand"#SovereignCitizen #DarrellBrooks pic.twitter.com/RVuA0Syg3W
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) October 20, 2022
With that, the court took a break for lunch and later today Brooks will start calling his witnesses. I would say there was a good chance he would manage to further incriminate himself but honestly I don’t see how he could appear any more guilty than he already does.
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