Life in jail with no parole for Christmas parade killer

A Wisconsin man convicted of killing six people and injuring dozens more when he drove through a Christmas parade near Milwaukee last year was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Dorow handed down six consecutive life prison terms to Darrell Brooks, 40, who was found guilty on October 26 of 76 criminal counts, including six counts of intentional homicide.

The judge symbolically added at least another 1,067 years to the life sentences to underscore the severity of the crimes for which she said Brooks showed “no remorse, no empathy”.

“Some people choose a path of evil. And I think, Mr Brooks, you are one of those such persons,” Dorow said, adding that video evidence presented at trial “kept me up at night”.

Brooks deliberately drove a SUV through police barricades last November and ploughed into crowds of revellers in the annual parade in Waukesha, 25km west of Milwaukee.

Brooks, shackled in orange jail clothes, acted as his own attorney and spoke for two hours before the sentencing.

He briefly acknowledged the victims while mostly detailing his need for mental health treatment. “I want you to know that not only am I sorry for what happened, I am sorry that you cannot see what is truly in my heart and the remorse in my heart,” Brooks said, weeping in the packed courtroom.

The two-day hearing began on Tuesday with dozens of bereaved relatives and injured victims telling the court about their loved ones.

“Today is for us. Today is so we can take our handful of dirt, throw it on his grave and move on,” said Chris Owen, whose mother Leanna Owen, 71, was performing with her troupe known as the Dancing Grannies when she was struck and killed. Five others, including child were killed, and over 60 were injured.