A jury reached a verdict in the case of a man who rammed his car into the crowd at the Waukesha Christmas Parade in Wisconsin on November 21, 2020.
The defendant originally faced 83 charges relating to the attack that killed six and injured 62 more, but Waukesha County Judge Jennifer Dorow dropped six of those counts before the trial began, Fox 6 reported. An additional count was later dismissed as well, leaving 76 charges against the defendant, including six counts of first-degree intentional homicide.
The defendant’s trial was marked by many outbursts, including repeatedly interrupting the judge, taking off his shirt during the trial stream, taking off his shoes, and threatening to throw them when officers were escorting him. He also refused to wear a suit, as he did so at previous hearings. The defendant, who is defending his case, had a heated argument with a witness earlier this month. He claimed that he was no longer identifiable by his name.
The defendant was questioning Thomas Casey from Waukesha Police. Casey was there to stop the car that crashed into the crowd. The defendant asked Casey to describe the “disturbance” that he heard before the attack. This led to the following exchange:
Casey: I heard a horn beeping, and then a Ford Escape came through the parade route, and you drove past me and wouldn’t stop and you continued driving through the parade route.
Defendant: Who is you?
Casey: [Suspect’s name], the defendant seated at the table.
Defendant: Uh, let the record reflect that I do not identify by that name nor do I know anybody by that name.
Judge Dorow: The objection is noted.
We previously reported that the defendant demanded that his case be dismissed just days later because there were no victims.
“Where is the injured party?” “Is the injured party present at court right now?” asked the defendant in court. “Can anyone, or can anyone, make a claim against my honor?” Is it possible to make a claim against you, your honor?”
Do you know of anyone who can bring a claim against my honor, your honor?” He continued, “Can anyone in court right now, anyone make a claim against me?” Your honor, the motion should be granted on this basis alone. In this case, there is no injured party. Who then makes the claim? Who?”
The defendant is accused of driving his red Ford Escape into the crowd gathered to watch Waukesha’s annual Christmas parade on November 21, 2021, ramming into dozens of parade watchers and killing six, including an 8-year-old boy.
