Darrell Brooks sentencing: Applause breaks out in court as judge imposes multiple life sentences

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: I've considered, perhaps there are intersecting mental health issues as it relates to your personality disorder, but those issues can best be addressed in a confined setting where the Department of Corrections will be charged statutorily to evaluate you and to provide any medical or mental health treatment that you need. This is a case that falls squarely on the need to protect the community. I referenced this earlier. There's really three primary reasons for the sentences I will impose here today. One is punishment. One is to protect the community. And the other is to provide justice and closure to the victims. Because under that category of need to protect, the court does get to consider the impact of these crimes on the victims. I went through at length in reviewing all of those victim impact statements. I certainly didn't go through every single one, just highlighting some of them. But doing so with purpose, because it is very clear to this court. that Mr. Brooks has caused carnage, mayhem, it has resulted in many people suffering from PTSD, from mental and emotional trauma that will take a lifetime to recover from, and for some, perhaps, if at all. You have taken away from these individuals future memories. They will never have birthdays with the six individuals who were killed. There will be no weddings. There will be no graduations. There will be none of the milestones that these families were looking forward to, whether it be for an innocent eight-year-old or an innocent 79-year-old. Frankly, Mr. Brooks, no one is safe from you. This community can only be safe if you are behind bars for the rest of your life. The actions of Daryl Brooks demand punishment. The community is not safe from your violent and criminal conduct unless you are in custody. You left a path of destruction, chaos, death, injury, confusion, and panic as you drove seven or so blocks through the Christmas parade, never once stopping or seemingly caring about the wake of carnage that you left. Four of those blocks were turned into a scene that, frankly, is no different than a war zone. On counts one through six, this court is imposing a life sentence without the possibility or eligibility for extended supervision consecutive to one another. One life sentence for Virginia Sorenson. One life sentence for Leanna Owen. One life sentence for Tamara Durand. One life sentence for Jane Kulik. One life sentence for Bill Haspel. And one life sentence for Jackson Sparks. I've considered the enhancer in the additional five years that I could impose, but I don't need to really order that because I've not made him eligible for extended supervision and it would only be to increase his time on initial confinement. But make no mistake, Mr. Brooks, you use that vehicle as a battering ram, no different than, frankly, a firearm. On counts seven through 67, these are 61 counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety. These charges alone and these convictions without the enhancer carry a maximum of 12 and a half years. And under Wisconsin law, the five years is added to the initial term of confinement. So what could be seven and a half years is a maximum of 12 and a half years. And I'd ask that everyone no longer show any reaction to the sentence so I can get through this. On counts seven through 67, on each count, I will impose a total sentence of 17 and a half years. Twelve and a half years of initial confinement, plus five years of extended supervision, consecutive to any other sentence that I've imposed here today. That is 762 and a half years of initial confinement and 305 years of extended supervision, on top of the life sentences that I've imposed. That is 17 and a half years, sir, for Nicole White. 17 and a half years for Eleanor Andrews. Anders, excuse me. 17 and a half years for Sasha Catalan Castillo. 17 and a half years for Maura Gilchrist. 17 and a half years for Justin Gullickson. 17 and a half years for Harry Guilfoy. 17 and a half years for Aidan Lofgren. 17 and a half years for Theo Mazza. 17 and a half years for Tyler Pugliner. 17 and a half years for Connor Tank. 17 and a half years for Eric Teagues. 17 and a half years for Adelia Mafioli. 17 and a half years for Kelly Graybaugh. 17 and a half years for Josh Craner. 17 and a half years for Riley Rogers. 17 and a half years for Caden Rogers. 17 and a half years for Tucker Sparks. 17 and a half years for Isabella Bartlett. 17 and a half years for Yerizzi Becerra Montes. 17 and a half years for Samantha Coelho. 17 and a half years for Madison Hollingsworth. 17 and a half years for Mackenzie Hollingsworth. 17 and a half years for Mitchell Lampine. 17 and a half years for Kathleen Peelmeyer. 17 and a half years for Julia Schleichow. 17 and a half years for Olivia Stover. 17 and a half years for Jennifer Stover. 17 and a half years for Jessalyn Torres. 17 and a half years for Alice Urell. 17 and a half years for Charlotte Urell. 17 and a half years for Vivian Urell. 17 and a half years for Grayson Urell. 17 and a half years for Lola Haspel. 17 and a half years for Tamara Rosentrader. 17 and a half years for Betty Strang. 17 and a half years for Maria Alvarez Dominguez. 17 and a half years for Gregoria Romelia Perez. 17 and a half years for Elliot Hallmark. 17 and a half years for Benjamin Hallmark. 17 and a half years for Patrick Heppe. 17 and a half years for Lori Locken. 17 and a half years for Marisol Lopez Gutierrez. 17 and a half years for Adair Lopez Robilar. 17 and a half years for Juan Marquez. 17 and a half years for David Marquez. 17 and a half years for William Mitchell. 17 and a half years for Jason Petchloff. 17 and a half years for Margaret Pachulis. 17 and a half years for Yama Lett Perales Alvarez. 17 and a half years for Eileen Perales Alvarez. 17 and a half years for Ashley Perales Alvarez. 17 and a half years for Jose Perales Alvarez. 17 and a half years for Maria Perez. 17 and a half years for Camila Perez Gonzalez. 17 and a half years for Isaac Foglia. 17 and a half years for Deborah Ramirez. 17 and a half years for Charles Green. 17 and a half years for Lily Green. 17 and a half years for Brinley Harris. 17 and a half years for Kelsey Kanap. 17 and a half years for Owen Brissiotti. On counts 68 through 73, which are the six counts of hit and run resulting in death. These are 25 year felonies each. The court will do the following. On count 68, a 25 year total sentence. 15 years of initial confinement. 10 years of extended supervision. This will be concurrent to count one. Count 69, the same sentence. 25 years total. 15 years of initial confinement. 10 years of extended supervision. Concurrent to count two. Did I say that the right way the first one? Okay. Count 68 is concurrent to count one. Count 69 is concurrent to count two. Count 70. 25 years total. 15 years of initial confinement. 10 years of extended supervision. Concurrent to count three. Count 71. 25 years total. 15 years of initial confinement. 10 years of extended supervision. Concurrent to count four. Count 72. 25 year total. 15 years of initial confinement. 10 years of extended supervision. Concurrent to count five. And on count 73, a 25 year total sentence. 15 years of initial confinement. 10 years of extended supervision. Concurrent to count six. On count 74 and 75, the two felony counts of bail jumping. The court is ordering a six year sentence total on each count. Three years of initial confinement. Three years of extended supervision. Consecutive to all other counts, but concurrent with one another. And lastly, but certainly not least. The maximum sentence for the battery to Erica Patterson. Nine months consecutive to any other sentence. To order anything other than what I have done, sir, would be to unduly depreciate the seriousness of these offenses. Which it is needed, although largely symbolic, given the number of years that I have imposed here today. Because, frankly, you deserve it. I know it's symbolic. But it needs to hold you accountable in a very real and tangible way. For all of these sentences that I have imposed, I will order the following conditions. No contact with the victims as identified in the amended victim key or their families. No contact of any kind with Erica Patterson.