Darrell Brooks trial ‘really hard’ for Milwaukee Dancing Grannies
WAUKESHA, Wis. - Four members of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies were killed in the Waukesha Christmas parade attack: Virginia Sorenson, Lee Owen, Tamara Durand and Wilhelm Hospel. For this group, the 76 guilty verdicts delivered by the jury Wednesday, convicting Darrell Brooks on all counts, came as a sigh of relief.
The president of the Dancing Grannies said Thursday, Oct. 27 the nearly month-long Brooks' trial was difficult for the group. The grannies didn’t talk to each other about the trial because they weren’t sure which one of them might be called to testify.
Their next big challenge will be coming back to Waukesha.
Milwaukee Dancing Grannies members killed in Waukesha Christmas parade attack
"These last couple of weeks have been really hard for the group, particularly the grannies who were there," said Jan Kwiatkowski, Milwaukee Dancing Grannies president.
Brooks was convicted of killing six people, including four grannies, and hurting dozens of others as he drove through Waukesha's Christmas Parade Nov. 21, 2021. The grannies were performing a routine set to "Winter Wonderland."
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"That was where most of the carnage took place," said Kwiatkowski.
Kwiatkowski wasn’t marching in the parade, but her friend, Laura Thein, was.
"I looked around and there were so many bodies on the ground," Thein testified during Brooks' trial. "I thought I was in a war."
Thein was a key witness for the prosecution, testifying Brooks drove in front of her and through many of her friends.
"The grace, the dignity and courage of every one of those witnesses to have to face him and go through that was just astounding," said Kwiatkowski.
Kwiatkowski said the grannies have marched in two dozen parades since the attack but haven’t been back to Waukesha. That will change Dec. 4 when the grannies perform in the 2022 Waukesha Christmas Parade, trying to spread joy on the same street filled with so much sadness.
"We all know it will be really hard," said Kwiatkowski. "At the same time, it’s going to be a symbol and sign and determination of our strength and resilience."
Kwiatkowski said the grannies have gotten more support than ever before when they are in parades since the attack, including lots of heart symbols and salutes.
The group has four routines planned for Waukesha's parade, but they won’t dance to "Winter Wonderland" because it's too painful.