In a riveting courtroom showdown, the defense attorney and prosecutor engaged in a heated debate over the credibility of witnesses during the closing arguments of the trial involving Thaddis Lamont Brooks IV. The Perris man stands accused of multiple charges, including assault with a gun, criminal threats, and battery, following a chaotic incident that unfolded at a high school basketball game between Centennial High and Santiago High in Corona on January 24, 2023.
The trial, held at the Superior Court in Riverside, reached a critical juncture as both sides presented their final arguments on Monday, March 18. Brooks, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, allegedly became involved in the melee after a fight broke out between two players, which his daughter also joined. The defense and prosecution offered contrasting narratives regarding Brooks’ actions during the altercation.
According to the defense attorney, Arsany Said, Brooks either stumbled into the crowd while assisting his daughter or rushed in to confront the others. Silent videos played in court showed Brooks being grabbed in a bear hug and shouting before leaving the gymnasium. The pivotal point of contention arose when four witnesses testified that they saw Brooks wielding a gun in the parking lot, chasing people. Said argued that what one witness perceived as a gun was actually Brooks, who is Black, holding a black cell phone in the dimly lit parking lot. The defense attorney suggested that the witness may have been biased and that the objects appeared indistinguishable in the darkness. Said further criticized the witnesses for allegedly altering their accounts from the time of the incident to their testimony a year later.
Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Flores countered the defense’s claims, asserting that the witnesses had no motive to lie since they did not know Brooks personally. Flores emphasized that the emotional display exhibited by the witnesses during their testimonies lent credibility to their accounts. She argued that any discrepancies in their stories were a result of individual perspectives, yet all reached the same conclusion: Brooks had brandished a gun. Flores underscored the fear and panic that gripped the crowd, emphasizing that they had no inkling that the defendant would instigate a massive brawl and subsequently threaten to shoot up the premises. She characterized Brooks as a man who lacked control over his emotions or chose not to exercise it, highlighting his decision to physically assault the girls involved.