Waukesha Christmas Massacre Defendant Turning Trial Into Circus

The trial for the man accused of driving his SUV through a Waukesha, Wisconsin, Christmas parade, killing six people and injuring 62, began last week with the defendant representing himself. With a criminal record going back 22 years, 39-year-old Darrell Brooks is likely well acquainted with the criminal justice system.

The Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees that every citizen has the right to counsel in a criminal setting, and the courts have held that if a defendant lacks the funds to hire an attorney, one will be provided free of charge.