A Louisiana man accused of gang raping and contributing to the death of an LSU student has requested that her family and supporters be prohibited from wearing pink clothing in the courtroom during his trial. Desmond Carter, 21, is one of three individuals charged in connection with the death of Madison Brooks, 19, who was fatally struck by a vehicle on a highway in East Baton Rouge on January 15, 2023.
Carter's defense attorneys filed a motion arguing that the presence of Brooks' supporters wearing her favorite color, pink, could create a "carnival atmosphere" and potentially prejudice or intimidate the jury, thereby infringing on his right to a fair trial. The motion is scheduled to be addressed by a judge on Tuesday.
Prosecutors with the East Baton Rouge District Attorney's Office have urged the court to deny the motion. They contend that Brooks' family and friends have worn pink at previous court proceedings without incident and that their attire would not disrupt the trial. In their response, prosecutors characterized Carter's request as "absurd" and a "gross mischaracterization of the facts at hand," stating that Brooks' supporters would be "silent, passive spectators."
According to the alleged events, Brooks was assaulted in a car by Carter, Kaivon Washington, and Casen Carver after the group had been drinking at a bar. Prosecutors claim she was then "dumped" out of the vehicle by the men. Shortly after, Brooks reportedly stumbled onto a four-lane highway, where she was struck by a moving car. Authorities reported her blood-alcohol level at the time was .319 percent, nearly four times the legal driving limit.
Mystery continues to surround the injuries Brooks sustained, with defense attorneys for Carver and Carter previously claiming in legal filings that injuries consistent with sexual assault found on Brooks' body were not caused by their clients. They suggested that Brooks had consensual rough sex with another LSU student the night before, which they claimed accounted for her injuries. This argument was rejected by prosecutors as "irrelevant" and "totally inappropriate."
Brooks, a sophomore at LSU, died from "multiple traumatic injuries" following the collision. The driver of the vehicle that struck her was not charged, as they were not impaired and immediately contacted emergency services. Good Samaritans reportedly performed CPR on Brooks at the scene before first responders arrived.
Washington faces additional accusations, including the alleged rape of another woman in October 2023, after reportedly meeting her at the same bar where the group met Brooks. He also faces a charge of first-degree rape in a separate case from 2020 involving a 12-year-old girl. The defense for Carter and Washington has maintained that any sexual encounter with Brooks was consensual.