From low bail for Waukesha SUV killer's attempted murder charge to Progressives' agenda

Some call it bail reform.

Darrell E. Brooks, 39, of Milwaukee, who is accused of plowing his SUV into a Wisconsin parade, killing five people and injuring 48 others, was a registered sex offender in Nevada and had an active arrest warrant in that state, court records show. Brooks may be charged with five counts of intentional homicide, and more charges are possible.

Earlier this month, November 2, he was also released on bond after allegedly running over a woman who said she's the mother of his child , according to court documents. Prosecutors filed 5 charges related to the incident including: obstructing an officer; second-degree recklessly endangering safety with domestic abuse assessments; disorderly conduct with domestic abuse assessments; and misdemeanor battery with domestic abuse assessments. Brooks was also charged with bail jumping because he was already out on bail following an incident from July 24, 2020, according to court documents.

Yet Darrell Brooks, who is a career criminal, was released on just $1,000 bond after allegedly running over a woman on November 2 -- an amount the district attorney's office now calls "inappropriately low."

"The state’s bail recommendation in this case was inappropriately low in light of the nature of the recent charges and the pending charges against Mr. Brooks," District Attorney John T. Chisholm’s office said in a statement.

It turned out that it was a court commissioner who agreed and cleared the way for Darrell Brooks' release. The Milwaukee Court commissioner is Cedric Cornwall.

A self-described "progressive," Chisholm has championed left-leaning reforms and previously acknowledged that his proposals could result in a person being let go and committing murder.

Republican State Rep. Cindy Duchow reportedly said she would reintroduce a constitutional amendment changing Wisconsin's bail process. "He tried to run over his girlfriend with his car — that’s attempted murder," she said. "If you’re a danger to society, you should have to work hard to get out."

The Milwaukee County district attorney's office now says it should not have recommended such a low bail for Brooks and have launched an internal review into the decision.

"The State's bail recommendation in this case was inappropriately low in light of the nature of the recent charges and the pending charges against Mr. Brooks," the office said in a statement.

"The bail recommendation in this case is not consistent with the approach of the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office toward matters involving violent crime, nor was it consistent with the risk assessment of the defendant prior to setting of bail."