Darrell Brooks Jr. is the man accused of murdering six people and injuring dozens more in the Waukesha, Wisconsin, Christmas parade attack.
Brooks is representing himself in court in a trial that is scheduled to start on Monday, October 3, 2022.
He has a lengthy criminal history and had multiple pending criminal cases and warrants at the time of the parade attack. That has led to controversies over bail reform in Wisconsin.
Brooks is also a registered sex offender in the State of Nevada.
Brooks, 39 at the time of the attack, was identified by Waukesha Police Chief Daniel Thompson at a press conference on November 22, 2021, as the suspect in the tragedy. Thompson said Brooks was driving the red SUV that plowed into the parade participants, a scene captured in graphic videos.
Read the criminal complaint against Brooks here. It describes how two detectives tried to stop him to no avail.
Here’s what you need to know about Brooks’ criminal record and bail issues:
Brooks Had Two Open Criminal Cases in Milwaukee County at the Time of the Parade Attack
DOJDarrell Brooks
Brooks had two open criminal felony cases in Milwaukee County at the time of the parade attack. He was out on bail in both cases.
In court during Brooks’ first appearance on November 23, 2021, the district attorney of Waukesha County, Sue Opper, revealed that Brooks also had a family violence arrest in Georgia while he was out on $500 bail in the first Milwaukee County case, which accused him of shooting toward a family member’s car after an argument.
Despite those things, when he was accused of trying to run a woman over at a gas station a few days before the parade tragedy, he was released on $1,000 bail.
Brooks has a long criminal history in three states including open cases. Opper said his lengthy criminal history in Wisconsin, Georgia, and Nevada at his first court appearance, advocating for $5 million bail.
“There are not words to describe the risks this defendant presents to our community,” Opper said. Even after police officers risked their lives to try to stop Brooks, “he continued down the road causing death and destruction in his path,” the DA said.
He has open charges filed November 5, 2021, in Milwaukee courts of resisting an officer (misdemeanor), felony bail jumping, second degree recklessly endangering safety (felony) with domestic abuse assessments, disorderly conduct and battery (both misdemeanors, also with domestic abuse assessments).
He posted $1,000 cash bail on November 19, 2021, according to court records.
He was given $1,000 bail despite already having another pending felony case in Milwaukee County that was still winding through the court system and even though, in May 2021, he was accused of misdemeanor battery – family violence in Georgia, according to Opper. Opper said she was unable to learn whether he was convicted of that Georgia offense, but she said that Brooks told a jail official that he spent six years in jail there.
In a still-pending Milwaukee County case filed in July 2020, Brooks is accused of getting in a fight in a backyard and then taking out a gun and firing a shot at two people who were about to drive away. The victim had to accelerate to get away and avoid being shot, according to the criminal complaint. Opper said the gun was stolen.
Brooks was charged in that case with two counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety, use of a dangerous weapon and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon — all felony charges — according to the complaint.
In the second case, on November 2, 2021, he is accused of striking a woman “in the face with a closed fist,” according to the complaint. He then “intentionally … ran EAP over with his vehicle while EAP was walking through the parking lot of the BP gas station,” the complaint says.
Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm released this statement. His assistant handled the second felony case
Below is the summary of pending charges against Mr. Darrell Brooks: On July 27, 2020, the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office issued two counts of Second Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety and Felon In Possession of a Firearm in case 2020CF002550. Cash bail was originally set at $10,000 and subsequently reduced to $7,500. Unlike some other states, Wisconsin requires payment for the full amount of bail set in any criminal case.
On February 9, 2021, the State was prepared to proceed to a scheduled jury trial. Mr. Brooks was still in custody on this matter and previously made a demand for a speedy jury trial. Because another jury trial was in progress before the same court, the defendant’s demand for a speedy jury trial could not be met. The case was adjourned and bail reduced to $500, which the defendant posted on February 21, 2021.
On November 5, 2021, the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office issued against Mr. Brooks charges of Second Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety, Felony Bail Jumping, Battery, Obstructing an Officer and Disorderly Conduct in case 2021CF004596. The most recent case against Mr. Brooks was appropriately charged. The State made a cash bail request in this case of $1,000, which was set by the court. The defendant posted $1,000 cash bail on November 11, resulting in his release from custody.
The State’s bail recommendation in this case was inappropriately low in light of the nature of the recent charges and the pending charges against Mr. Brooks. The bail recommendation in this case is not consistent with the approach of the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office toward matters involving violent crime, nor was it consistent with the risk assessment of the defendant prior to setting of bail.
This office is currently conducting an internal review of the decision to make the recent bail recommendation in this matter in order to determine the appropriate next steps.
An assistant attorney general assigned to the Milwaukee County DA’s office handled the first open felony case.
In the July case, hearings were repeatedly adjourned. Brooks requested a speedy trial, but the court tolled the time limits, part of a trend that has occurred recently because of a two-year backlog, the chief judge has said, which she has attributed to the coronavirus pandemic. The backlog also persists with jury trials, she said.
In February 2021, with Judge David Feiss presiding, the court lowered Brooks’ bail to $500, noting, “Due to reasons stated on the record, the court is unable to honor the speedy trial demand in this case. Defense bail motion argued and GRANTED by the Court. The Court lowered cash bail to $500.00.”
In June 2021, the court notes say, “Matter scheduled for Jury Trial. Parties are ready to proceed. Due to court congestion, Court is unable to hear jury trial at this time.”
The case continued, with some plea negotiations. “JusticePoint PreTrial Services Supervision/VIOLATION Report dated November 10, 2021; received and filed,” says a recent entry. There was a “further proceedings” on November 11, the last date.
Brooks Is a Registered Sex Offender Who Was Wanted on a Nevada Warrant
TwitterDarrell Brooks
Brooks had an active warrant from Nevada for non-compliance as a registered sex offender for the past five years, Opper said in court.
Opper also revealed that he was wanted on a warrant for being a non-compliant sex offender in Nevada since 2016, and she said the warrant was still active at the time of the Waukesha parade tragedy. He also had a domestic violence battery and resisting case in Nevada, she said. KOLO-TV reported that he impregnated a 15-year-old girl in Nevada and the warrant was for not appearing in court.
Opper revealed in court that Brooks is a convicted sex offender in Nevada. According to the state’s sex offender registry, Brooks was convicted of statutory sexual seduction in the Second Judicial District Court on November 1, 2006. According to KLAS, Brooks was on probation but it was revoked in 2007 and he served 14 months in jail between July 2007 and September 2008.
Brooks Is a Felon Many Times Over
Jim PiwowarczykThe scene downtown
Brooks’ prior convictions include:
- Bail jumping (misdemeanor) and marijuana possession (misdemeanor).
- Marijuana possession second plus offense (felony), 2011.
- Obstruct an officer (misdemeanor), 2005 and 2003.
- Marijuana possession (felony), 2002.
- Substantial battery (felony), 1999.
He has a lengthy Wisconsin arrest history. Read it here.
Opper said he also had a paternity case that has been pending for years in Waukesha County.
Brooks’ social media accounts show that he is an aspiring rap singer with a lengthy criminal history; he supported Black Lives Matter and posted anti-police rhetoric on his social media accounts.
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