Closing arguments could come Tuesday afternoon in the Waukesha parade deaths trial. Judge Jennifer Dorow says much of the day will be spent reading instructions to the jury on the 76 charges against defendant Darrell Brooks.
Prosecutors claim Brooks was driving the SUV that plowed through people at the Waukesha Christmas parade last November—killing six and injuring dozens more. Brooks has plead not guilty.
Monday, he continued his verbal battles with the judge and refused to say whether he would call his last scheduled witness, his mother. He also declined to say whether he would testify or promise to follow court rules.
Dorow eventually declared that due to his behavior, Brooks had forfeited his right to call any more witnesses and his right to testify.
Dorow read her decision about Brooks not testifying into the court record.
"This court simply cannot allow Mr. Brooks to get on the witness stand, unfettered, without an acknowledgment that he will honor the rules of procedure, that he will abide by the rules of evidence, that he will honor rulings made by the court. He has demonstrated repeatedly throughout this trial that when he makes a ruling the court disagrees with, he tries to engage the court in an argument about the legal basis, even though I provided the legal basis," Dorow said.
The arguments between Dorow and Brooks continued in the early afternoon after the judge ordered the defendant to sit in the trial courtroom, instead of the courtroom next door where he had been sent during morning disagreements.
Brooks told the judge he didn't want to be in her courtroom.
"When I'm making a request to avoid the drama and all that," Brooks began to say.
Dorow interjected: "Sir, the only one with the drama is you."
Brooks replied: "It's you, too. You're the big contributor to the whole thing!"
Eventually, Dorow said she would give the prosecution and defense up to an hour apiece for their closing arguments. She warned Brooks, who represents himself, what he can, and cannot say.
