Margaret Walker Ed.D. (Jesse's Aunt)
Prosecutors Janice Rundles and Michael Lewis deliberately caused confusion to conceal the truth and gain a conviction against Jesse Brooks. It was a carefully calculated strategy from start to finish. Jesse Brooks’ trial was simply a repeat of the John “Jay” Brooks trial using the same prosecutors in the same courtroom with the same incentivized witnesses. They created constant confusion referring to John Brooks as “Brooks” and making no distinction between father and son or simply stating the “Brooks Family.”
It was virtually impossible to figure out who did what and when. They carried the strategy throughout the trial and Jesse’s attorneys did little to stop it. Take for example, during closing arguments prosecutor Janice Rundles would constantly interchange names:
Janice Rundles stated that Andrew Carter showed Jay Brooks where Jack Reid moved to
but later in her closing she stated he was keeping track of Jack Reid for the Brooks family.
Janice Rundles stated exhibits show Jay Brooks paid for Benton’s hotel room but later in her closing she stated the Brooks family puts him up at a hotel.
Michael Connors testified that Jay Brooks gave him an envelope not Jesse Brooks but in
Janice Rundles’ closing she stated that it was from the Brooks family.
Michael Benton testified that Jay Brooks paid for his airfare to Las Vegas but Janice Rundles stated in her closing argument that it was the Brooks family.
In Janice Rundles final comments to the jury before deliberations she assured them that this was a “Brooks Family Affair” – repeating the assertion that Michael Lewis made 5 times during opening statements introducing their theme that the group responsible for Jack Reid’s death wanted to demonstrate their loyalty to a wealthy family, to the Brooks Family…a Brooks family affair.
It’s reprehensible that Jesse Brooks has served 11 years in prison because prosecutors were more interested in winning a case and Jesse’s attorneys made no effort to object to countless unsubstantiated statements, overwhelming wealth bias, or sleeping jurors. More notable, they withheld his irrefutable alibi evidence. We are hopeful Judge McNamara will grant a hearing so that Jesse Brooks will finally receive the justice he deserves.
Comments