Court losing patience with Darrell Brooks' 'frivolous arguments' on day 9 of Waukesha Christmas Parade trial

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Waukesha Christmas Parade trial continued on Thursday, Oct. 13 with more witness testimony and an hour-long rant by the defendant.

Darrell Brooks is facing 76 charges, including six counts of first-degree intentional homicide.

Nine of Milwaukee's Dancing Grannies participated in the Waukesha Christmas Parade. Three, plus one granny's husband, were hit and killed.

"We were like sisters. We were a sisterhood," Thein said.

Thein identified the grannies who died as Virginia 'Ginny' Sorenson, Tamara Durand and Lee Owen. Wilhelm 'Bill' Hospel was volunteering with the group.

"It all happened in a matter of seconds," Thein said.

Thein testified that a red streak whizzed by her and drove straight for her friends ahead.

"All I seen were bodies," Thein said. "I thought I was in a war."

Others marching with the Catholic Community of Waukesha saw what happened just before the driver left the parade route.

"It was going faster than anyone in their right mind would be driving," a pastor with the Catholic Community of Waukesha Matthew Widder said.

Sorenson and Owen were pronounced dead on scene from multiple blunt force trauma, according to the Associate Waukesha County Medical Examiner.

Jane Kulich, Durand and Hospel also died from multiple blunt force trauma, consistent with being struck by a more than 3,000 pound moving vehicle, according to the Waukesha County Medical Examiner.

Dr. Amy Sheil became choked up as she talked about the injuries 8-year-old Jackson Sparks died from.

"Complications of cranial cerebral injuries due to blunt force trauma to the head," Sheil said.

Her testimony also appeared to impact Brooks. He took a second before cross examining the doctor, and never looked up from his table.

The defendant tried to question the legitimacy of the case against him while jurors were in the courtroom on Thursday, but Judge Jennifer Dorow shut him down.

"I will not have you claim legitimacy for what are debunked, frivolous, sovereign arguments," Dorow said.

This comes after Dorow allowed Brooks to spend almost an hour airing his grievances on a variety of issues including fairness of the trial and jury.

Waukesha County District Attorney Sue Opper called his comments highly offensive after he intentionally and deliberately requested to defend himself.

"He has an agenda here," Opper said. "It's to stall, delay, disrupt, intimidate, and it's not going to work."

Brooks called Opper's statement a "load of crap."

The judge got the final word.

"This trial will keep going. I still expect the basic rules of civility and decorum to be followed," Dorow said.

Attorney Julius Kim told CBS 58 he thinks it was a smart idea for Dorow to let the defendant vent.

"You kind of saw that they were starting to butt heads a little bit more and there was a little more tension between Mr. Brooks and Judge Dorow," Kim said. "Giving him the opportunity to air his grievances I think was maybe a little cathartic for him and it was a way for Judge Dorow to maintain control of the courtroom."

The state is now predicting they'll wrap up their case on Monday.

Brooks will then be given the opportunity to present an opening statement and call witnesses to the stand.

They helped serve 12 of Brooks' 13 subpoenas.

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