Madison Brooks case: Nancy Grace previews exclusive new Fox Nation special, 'Left for Dead'
Fox Nation host Nancy Grace joins 'Fox & Friends' to discuss Carlee Russell, the Alabama woman who's currently not facing charges for faking a kidnapping story, as well as her new Fox Nation series on the tragic death of Madison Brooks.
One of the suspects connected to the alleged rape of a Louisiana State University student seemed to know what was going to happen after he, three friends and Madison Brooks got in their car.
From the front seat, one of the suspects, Casen Carver, allegedly said in a recorded selfie video, "These guys are crazy. They finna rape her," Kerry Miller, Brooks' mother's lawyer, told Fox News Digital.
The seconds-long clip was played in court Friday after the lawyer for Desmond Carter, 17, who is being tried as an adult, made a motion to lower his bond to allow him to get out of jail before a trial.
It was the first insight into alleged incriminating videos from the overnight hours of Jan. 14-15, the night Brooks, an LSU sophomore, was allegedly raped and then left on the side of a busy, four-lane highway in Baton Rouge, where she was fatally struck by an oncoming car.
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Madison Brooks, 19, was an LSU sophomore when she was allegedly raped in January 2023 before she was fatally struck by a car. (Ashley Baustert)
The actual videos, evidence and surveillance images from businesses and homes near Reggie's Bar in LSU's social hot spot and crime-ridden Tigerland were shown during the hearing, Miller said.
However, none of the evidence can be released to the public or media following a heated confrontation between the East Baton Rouge District Attorney's Office and the suspects' lawyers over leaks, which was remedied by a court agreement between the two sides.
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Miller, who was in court, told Fox News Digital about the court appearance based off his notes.
Carter's lawyer, Rosalind Freeman, did not return Fox News Digital's request for comment, and other suspects' lawyers declined to comment because they were not in court that day.
LSU sorority student Madison Brooks was hit and killed by a car. (@madibrookss/Instagram)
Joe Long, who represents Carver, said in an email that prosecutors "have not provided that discovery to me yet; in fact, there is a lot of discovery that has not been provided yet."
"I don't have any further comment as I was not present, have not seen the discovery, and don't represent Desmond (Carter)," he said.
What was shown during the hearing?
Carter's lawyer argued the 17-year-old's $150,000 bail should be reduced to $75,000. Despite his age, he is being tried as an adult.
Prosecutors objected and revealed some of the evidence they have that ultimately secured indictments against Carter; Carver, 18; Everett Lee, 28; and Kaivon Washington, 18, who were all charged in connection with the alleged rape.
WATCH ‘LEFT FOR DEAD: THE CASE OF MADISON BROOKS’ ON FOX NATION
Desmond Carter, 17, is being tried as an adult in the alleged rape of LSU sophomore Madison Brooks. (East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office)
Several surveillance images from the apartment complex, which were displayed as still images, tracked the suspects' car where Brooks was allegedly raped and showed it stayed in the same spot for about 20 minutes, Miller said.
"You can't really see what's going on inside the car from the surveillance camera … someone hung a T-shirt on one of the back windows to block the view of what was going on in the back seat," Miller said.
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"During the 20 minutes the car was parked in the parking lot, prosecutors played video snippets. One of Kaivon (Washington) shoving Maddie down in the backseat, physically shoving her pushing her hard."
During this time, Miller said loud rap music was being played throughout the incident.
Pictured, from left: Kaivon Washington, Everett Lee, Casen Carver and Madison Brooks. (East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office/Instagram)
"But you still hear Maddie scream, ‘Get off,’ so that's captured on video," Miller said.
Nine months after Brooks' death, the public has not seen the full scope of video evidence, just snippets leaked by the defense that portrays Brooks in a negative light.
Friday was the first time evidence was shown by prosecutors, but it was limited to the courtroom.
Video evidence from inside the car
Even though the back seat was blocked by some sort of obstruction, Miller said, Carver's 10- to 15-second selfie videos from the driver seat provided law enforcement with eyes inside.
"You can see what's going on in the back seat from the right side of the camera," Miller said. "That's where you see Kaivon (Washington) pushing Maddie down.
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"Then you see Carter with his pants down on top of Maddie. You kind of see her legs sticking up, and she doesn't have anything on. You know it's Desmond Carter because he wore a plaid shirt."
As this alleged activity unfolded, Miller said the music continued to play and at least one of suspects was heard cheering.
Ashley Baustert, mother of Madison Brooks, stands in front of a billboard for the Madison Brooks Foundation in Times Square on May 8, 2023. Brooks was fatally struck by a car earlier this year. (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital )
"Carver, as he's recording, is like narrative, and he goes a couple of times, ‘They just flipped this b----,’" Miller said.
After Brooks is dropped off on Burbank Highway
Prosecutors continued to play short clips of videos after Brooks, who was intoxicated, was forced out of the suspects' car in the middle of Burbank Drive in the early morning hours of Jan. 15.
She stumbled into the middle of the street, where she was hit by an oncoming car.
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The driver stayed at the scene and called 911, while good Samaritans pulled over to try to save her.
Emergency personnel responded and rushed her to a hospital, where she ultimately died.
Madison Brooks, a 19-year-old LSU sophomore, was allegedly raped in January before being fatally struck by a car. (Ashley Baustert)
The suspects did not seem to know that Brooks died until the next day, prosecutors alleged, according to Miller.
After Brooks was dropped off, prosecutors played video of Carter holding a handgun "and joking and dancing along to music," Miller said.
The next morning, a bartender at Reggie's, who apparently knew the suspects, said the girl who left with them died and there was a police investigation, according to Miller.
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"Carver takes that message and starts a group chat with the other three cohorts," Miller said. "The message sort of starts with, ‘Let’s get our story straight."
They agreed to delete videos and pictures off their phones, but there were still some social media posts left by Washington, prosecutors said during the court appearance, according to Miller.
What happened to Carter's bail?
Ultimately, the judge lowered Carter's bail to $100,000, but it is unclear if he paid it and was released.
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All the suspects have pleaded not guilty to all charges and maintained their innocence.
Their lawyers have argued the sex was consensual and went as far as saying this would not even be a criminal case if Brooks did not die.
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