Thursday 6 October 2022 06:28 PM Waukesha Christmas parade killer Darrell Brooks STRIPS and stuffs 'objection' ... trends now

The man accused of driving his car through a Wisconsin parade was ejected from the courtroom on the fourth day of his trial, only to appear shirtless while livestreaming in from a sperate room.

Darrell Brooks, 40, also stuffed a laminated sign reading 'objection' into the waistband of his orange prison attire after the judge muted his microphone so she could read off his 77 charges without interruption.

Brooks allegedly ploughed through the crowd at a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin on November 21, 2021, killing six people between the ages of eight and 81, and injuring more than 60 people.

Though Brooks elected to represent himself in his trial, over its few short days his repeated interruptions, outbursts, and erratic behavior have led to him being removed from the courtroom.

On Thursday he began interrupting the judge within a minute of the proceedings beginning, and was ejected soon after when he got into a spat with the judge over his decision to wear prison attire in the courtroom.

Though opening statements were scheduled to begin on Thursday, by midday they had gone unspoken due to delays caused by Brooks's incessant outbursts.

Waukesha County Circuit Judge Jennifer Dorow continually refused to back down, and after sending Brooks off to another courtroom explained that she would not back down despite his attempts to make a 'mockery' of the proceedings.  

'It's very clear to this court that everything that he has done as outlined by the state and as made evident the court of this proceeding that it is the sole intent of Mr. Brooks to make mockery of this process,' she said, as Brooks could be seen on a video feed with his shirtless back to the camera.

'It's important for the justice system to go forward with this proceeding. We are at the stage where we are at with Mr. Brooks muted in another courtroom because of his defiant actions, no one else,' she added.

With his microphone muted at all times except when called on to speak or answer questions, Brooks could be seen wildly gesticulating in the other courtroom, arguing with court police, and holding up his objection sign to everything Judge Dorow said.

Despite his outbursts, Waukesha County District Attorney Sue Opper insisted Brooks was competent to stand trial.

'At no time as has anyone in this case had a competency concern,' she said, 'I'm thoroughly convinced he is 100 percent competent to proceed trial. We are 100 percent convinced that his conduct [is]... deliberate and intentional. He is attempting to derail these proceedings.'

Judge Dorow agreed with Opper's assessment. 

'I share your observations,' the judge said, adding she felt his behavior was merely an act of 'defiance' instead of a sign of poor mental health. 

Today's chaos followed three previous days of interruptions from Brooks.

On day three Brooks was ejected from the courtroom while he asked the court to adjourn the trial over claims he was suffering from COVID-19.

On the second day he was ejected while repeatedly interrupting jury selection proceedings, read long passages from the bible, then appeared to fall asleep on the video feed from the other courtroom. 

And on the first day, he was also ejected after his disruptive behavior during jury selection.