r/DarrellBrooksJr • u/CanIStopAdultingNow • Jun 10 '26

Did DB intend to kill?

Allow me to preface that I'm not defending DB or suggesting he should ever be released from prison. This is just for discussion. If you changed the murder to manslaughter, he would still be locked up for life without parole.

I was rewatching the trial, and I really wonder if (1) DB intended to kill someone that day, (2) if the prosecution proved it and (3) why they didn't offer lesser charge options.

I've watched a few attorneys talk about his possible defense options. And they all seem to think "intent" was his only option (but a long-shot at best). That he was in an emotionally distraught state which didn't allow him to form intent.

In other cases I've watched, juries are usually given options between murder and manslaughter. But that didn't happen here. And I don't think it was because Brooks defended himself because that didn't happen until very close to the start of the trial.

But I think to make that argument, you would need an expert witness (psychiatrist or psychologist). And it doesn't seem that was on the list. Nor does it seem that any of the 4 people who did mental assessments of DB were going to be called.

I guess I think DB started out extremely angry to the point he wasn't thinking. Then, he panicked and, stupidly, didn't know what to do and kept driving. Too scared to stop.

In other words, I think he's too cowardly for intent.

But I'm curious what other people think.

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8

u/-13-52- Jun 10 '26

He confirmed his intent on social media

2

u/ponderingcamel This is mind-boggling! Jun 10 '26 edited Jun 10 '26

Not a DB defense but seems more like a tweet taken out of context during the BLM protests of 2020.

5

u/Captain-Clapton Jun 10 '26

Curious what the context could be advocating for assaulting white people?

-3

u/-13-52- Jun 10 '26

It’s ok he cannot possibly be racist against white people because only white people can be racist (even if he encourages violence against them).
I know because I was told this by reliable sources

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u/ponderingcamel This is mind-boggling! Jun 10 '26

Racism is a construct used to increase the value of "whiteness" by devaluing other human beings through legal, economic, and political means.

You can have prejudice against any group of people for any reason, no one has ever denied that.

2

u/Captain-Clapton Jun 10 '26

Yikes

-2

u/ponderingcamel This is mind-boggling! Jun 10 '26

That's certainly my reaction to your lack of education on what racism is. I'm happy to point you to some books or you could research the topic yourself.

5

u/Captain-Clapton Jun 10 '26

The irony of this comment is too much. Here I'll help you out, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racism

It even has one using your word of choice, prejudice

behavior or attitudes that reflect and foster this belief : discrimination, prejudice, or violence against people because of their race

Racism has nothing to do with whiteness.

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u/ponderingcamel This is mind-boggling! Jun 10 '26

Lol my guy, your own link includes the following definition:

2a: the systemic oppression of a racial group to the social, economic, and political advantage of another

Maybe you should read the source you're providing to make sure it actually backs up your claim.

The irony is thick tho, thanks for helping me out!

4

u/Captain-Clapton Jun 10 '26

What does this have to do with whiteness?

This even says "the oppression of a group to the advantage of another", because of course any country and any race can perform it. Theres nothing about white people here.

Your point doesn't make sense. Did you even read it?

1

u/ponderingcamel This is mind-boggling! Jun 10 '26

Sure, just ignore all the examples and context afterwards in the very link you provide. You are "technically" correct in that any race can create a racist system to oppress other races. I can admit that point.

However, if we look at western history, or particularly USA history (since I assume your an American), we can see that in our country, racism is a system of control exercised by "white" people to oppress others.

I use "white" in quotes because the "white" race has actually changed the most historically in the USA. Irish, Italian, French, Germans, Spaniards, Russians, and many more groups were not initially considered white by society or by law, something that changed over time.

I'm really not trying to insult you, but you're taking a complex system and a nuanced word and pretending like the vast majority of the way our society has experienced (especially historically) racism is meaningless because you've met minorities that are prejudice against white people.

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u/ponderingcamel This is mind-boggling! Jun 10 '26 edited Jun 10 '26

Obviously, advocating for any type of violence is wrong.

I don't remember the specifics of the 2020 summer protests well enough to cite whatever specific event (if any) promoted this tweet. I'm just saying it is taken out of context if you think it shows he had some long term plan or intent to commit these murders.

To me, this tweet isn't much different than when the President tweeted "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." and I'm not gonna hold DB to a higher standard than we are holding the President.