The prosecution team that is seeking the death penalty for the Parkland school shooter is set to continue calling witnesses on Wednesday at Broward County court in Fort Lauderdale.
Nikolas Cruz’s long-awaited penalty phase began on July 18. As of Tuesday afternoon, prosecutors had called 78 witnesses to testify about the case at the 17th-floor courtroom.
The list of witnesses the jury has listened to includes the 17 victims who survived their injuries on Feb. 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s three-story 1200 building.
It also includes the 20 — most of who were grieving mothers and fathers — who have read victim impact statements. Some had Cruz’s defense attorneys dabbing their eyes.
They represented 11 of the 17 Cruz killed. The victim impact statements pending are for Alexander Schachter, 14; Cara Loughran, 14; Gina Montalto, 14; Peter Wang, 15; Helena Ramsey, 17; and Christopher Hixon, 49.
Cruz, now 23, pleaded guilty to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in October. He was 19 years old when he used an AR-15 rifle to fire high-velocity rounds at students, teachers, and staff.
It will be up to the jury to decide Cruz’s fate. The 12 jurors have to vote unanimously on each of the victims for him to be executed. Otherwise, Cruz will face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer is presiding over the death penalty trial.
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Nikolas Cruz’s long-awaited penalty phase began on July 18. As of Tuesday afternoon, prosecutors had called 78 witnesses to testify about the case at the 17th-floor courtroom.
The list of witnesses the jury has listened to includes the 17 victims who survived their injuries on Feb. 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s three-story 1200 building.
It also includes the 20 — most of who were grieving mothers and fathers — who have read victim impact statements. Some had Cruz’s defense attorneys dabbing their eyes.
They represented 11 of the 17 Cruz killed. The victim impact statements pending are for Alexander Schachter, 14; Cara Loughran, 14; Gina Montalto, 14; Peter Wang, 15; Helena Ramsey, 17; and Christopher Hixon, 49.
Cruz, now 23, pleaded guilty to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in October. He was 19 years old when he used an AR-15 rifle to fire high-velocity rounds at students, teachers, and staff.
It will be up to the jury to decide Cruz’s fate. The 12 jurors have to vote unanimously on each of the victims for him to be executed. Otherwise, Cruz will face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer is presiding over the death penalty trial.
Interactive graphic
Continue reading...