While Darrell Brooks Jr appeared in court on Tuesday, November 23, Susan Opper, prosecutor for Waukesha County (Wisconsin), in the United States, spoke.
“I would unfortunately like to point out to the court that we have learned of the death of another child in this case”, did she say. It is an 8-year-old boy who had been shot in the head, according to his family. The death of this child brings to six dead the toll of the tragedy which occurred Sunday during an annual parade in the main street of Waukesha, a small town in the Great Lakes region.
Darrell Brooks Jr, 39, is accused of intentionally throwing his SUV into a crowd attending or participating in the parade, just moments after being involved in a domestic dispute nearby. In his mad rush, he also left more than sixty injured. He is being prosecuted for five intentional killings – each punishable by life imprisonment – and a sixth charge will be added, Mr.me upper.
” There are no words “
The accused, who was wearing a bulletproof vest, kept his head down for most of the hearing, appearing to sob at times. His motives are unknown and the authorities had ruled out the terrorist motive on Monday, but the indictment underscored the presumed intentional nature of his act.
He did not obey the orders of two police officers who ordered him to stop before arriving at the parade site. On the contrary, he accelerated, and one of the agents “Observed that the vehicle seemed to be traveling intentionally from one side of the road to the other, hitting many people”.
“There are no words to describe the risks that this accused poses to the population, not only the risk of flight, but the danger of his past of violence”, explained Mme Opper. She asked for a bond of 5 million dollars (nearly 4.5 million euros), a sum accepted by the judge, Kevin Costello, who has set the next hearing for January 14.
An “indecently low” deposit
Darrell Brooks has a heavy judicial past. He has been involved in a dozen cases since 2000 in three US states, according to the prosecution. In 2020, he was notably indicted for endangering others after shooting his nephew during an altercation. He was finally released in February 2021 on $ 500 bail.
In early November, he was again prosecuted for beating and trying to run over the mother of his child. He was released a few days later on paying a $ 1,000 bond; which revived the debate on the principle of release, a pillar of American justice, and of which certain States have limited the use.
This sum was “Indecently low” given the facts and his heavy criminal past, admitted on Monday, the services of Milwaukee County Attorney John Chisholm. An internal investigation was opened into this decision, taken in contradiction with the instructions concerning violent crimes and the risks posed by the accused, added the prosecutor.
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