Prosecutors to begin Florida school shooter trial rebuttal
2 years, 2 months ago

Prosecutors to begin Florida school shooter trial rebuttal

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Prosecutors in the penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz will begin their rebuttal case Tuesday, challenging his attorneys’ contention that he murdered 17 people because his birth mother abused alcohol during pregnancy, a condition they say went untreated. Robert Jarvis, a professor at Nova Southeastern University’s law school, said prosecution experts will also likely testify that even if Cruz’s brain was damaged by his birth mother’s drinking, that’s true of thousands of other Americans and they don’t commit mass murder. Satz’s team told Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer their presentation could take two weeks, but Jarvis and Weinstein question whether that’s too much for a jury that began hearing evidence in July. “If you do a long rebuttal, that makes jurors think, ‘Maybe the defense really did score some points that I didn’t realize,’” Jarvis said.

Trial Prosecutors Cruz Jarvis Weinstein Scherer His Birth Mother Rebuttal Case  cruz  cruzs  rebuttal  case  disorder  trial  weinstein  shooter  school  begin  jury  jarvis  florida  prosecutors  evidence

History of this topic

Florida deputy’s legal team says he didn’t have an obligation to stop Parkland school shooter
1 year ago

Florida deputy’s legal team says he didn’t have an obligation to stop Parkland school shooter

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A former Florida sheriff’s deputy is claiming he had no legal duty to confront the gunman who murdered 17 people and wounded 17 others at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School nearly six years ago, his attorney argued Monday. The legal team representing Broward County Deputy Scot Peterson asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit brought …

Florida Supreme Court reprimands judge for conduct during Parkland school shooting trial
1 year, 5 months ago

Florida Supreme Court reprimands judge for conduct during Parkland school shooting trial

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The Florida Supreme Court has publicly reprimanded the judge who oversaw the penalty trial of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz for showing bias toward the prosecution. That panel had found that Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer violated several rules governing judicial conduct during last year’s trial in her actions toward Cruz’s public defenders. The 15-member commission found …

Deputy’s acquittal in Parkland school massacre case shows holes in the law, attorneys say
1 year, 5 months ago

Deputy’s acquittal in Parkland school massacre case shows holes in the law, attorneys say

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — When Florida prosecutors charged former Deputy Scot Peterson for his alleged inaction during the 2018 Parkland school massacre, they faced a major hurdle: no law precisely fit. Eight days later, then-Sheriff Scott Israel, who was under political pressure for the shooting, said his video review of Peterson’s actions made him “sick.” Peterson retired and was then …

Nikolas Cruz sentencing trial: Key revelations about Parkland shooter and his massacre
2 years, 1 month ago

Nikolas Cruz sentencing trial: Key revelations about Parkland shooter and his massacre

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery An undated photograph of …

Nikolas Cruz sentencing: A timeline of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting
2 years, 1 month ago

Nikolas Cruz sentencing: A timeline of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A jury has recommended …

‘You don’t know me, but you tried to kill me.’ Parkland victims and loved ones get last word before shooter sentenced to life in prison
2 years, 1 month ago

‘You don’t know me, but you tried to kill me.’ Parkland victims and loved ones get last word before shooter sentenced to life in prison

CNN  

CNN — Anguished survivors of the Parkland school shooting and grieving relatives of victims faced the gunman in court before he’s sentenced to life in prison, testifying Tuesday about the loved ones and sense of security he stole from them, and expressing anger over a jury’s decision not to recommend he be put to death. I am broken and altered, …

Families get final say before Parkland shooter is sentenced
2 years, 1 month ago

Families get final say before Parkland shooter is sentenced

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz will be sentenced to life in prison this week — but not before the families of the 17 people he murdered get the chance to tell him what they think. After Cruz is sentenced, he will be transferred from the Broward County jail to the state correctional system’s processing center near …

Parkland school shooter spared from execution for killing 17
2 years, 2 months ago

Parkland school shooter spared from execution for killing 17

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A divided jury spared Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz the death penalty Thursday for killing 17 people at a Parkland high school in 2018, sending him to prison for the rest of his life in a decision that left many families of the victims angered, baffled and in tears. “We need justice.” Cruz, 24, pleaded guilty …

Nikolas Cruz verdict came down to single juror who voted against death penalty, victim’s father says
2 years, 2 months ago

Nikolas Cruz verdict came down to single juror who voted against death penalty, victim’s father says

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “As I was walking up here, I was …

Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz avoids death penalty and is sentenced to life
2 years, 2 months ago

Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz avoids death penalty and is sentenced to life

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Marjory Stoneman Douglas High …

Florida jury recommends Parkland shooter serve life in prison
2 years, 2 months ago

Florida jury recommends Parkland shooter serve life in prison

Al Jazeera  

Jury says Nicolas Cruz should not get the death penalty for the murder of 17 students and staff at US high school. A Florida jury has recommended that a gunman who killed 17 people in a 2018 school shooting be spared the death penalty and instead be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. She said it …

EXPLAINER: What’s next in the Parkland school shooter trial?
2 years, 2 months ago

EXPLAINER: What’s next in the Parkland school shooter trial?

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The jurors who will decide whether Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz is sentenced to death or life without parole concluded their first day of deliberations Wednesday as the three-month trial nears its conclusion. Cruz’s lead attorney Melisa McNeill and her team never questioned the horror he inflicted, but focused on their belief that his birth mother’s …

Attorneys argue over school shooter’s fate: death or prison
2 years, 2 months ago

Attorneys argue over school shooter’s fate: death or prison

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The prosecutor and defense attorney for Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz agreed Tuesday that his 2018 attack that killed 17 people was horrible, but disagreed in their closing arguments on whether it was an act of evil worthy of execution or one of a broken person who should be imprisoned for life. The killings, he said, …

Nikolas Cruz defence asks for ‘mercy’ after prosecutor calls for death penalty over ‘calculated’ shooting
2 years, 2 months ago

Nikolas Cruz defence asks for ‘mercy’ after prosecutor calls for death penalty over ‘calculated’ shooting

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Marjory Stoneman Douglas High …

Florida school shooter may have been his own worst witness
2 years, 2 months ago

Florida school shooter may have been his own worst witness

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — It’s possible Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz talked himself into a death sentence. “All of this made Cruz himself perhaps one of the state’s best witnesses,” said David S. Weinstein, a Miami defense attorney and former prosecutor who has been monitoring the trial. “I studied mass murderers and how they did it, their plans, what they …

Men charged with defrauding Florida school shooter’s brother
2 years, 2 months ago

Men charged with defrauding Florida school shooter’s brother

Associated Press  

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — The head of a Virginia company accused of exploiting immigration detainees seeking bail has now been charged with defrauding the brother of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz. Donovan said he became acquainted with Zachary Cruz after learning he was facing $500,000 bail on a trespassing charge for skateboarding at the high school where the shootings occurred. …

Judge in Florida school shooter case refuses to step down
2 years, 3 months ago

Judge in Florida school shooter case refuses to step down

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The judge overseeing the penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz refused to step down Monday, rejecting a motion by his attorneys who accused her of being biased against their client and prejudicing the jurors who will decide if he should die for murdering 17 people four years ago. Scherer last week chewed out lead …

Defense seeks judge’s removal in Florida school shooter case
2 years, 3 months ago

Defense seeks judge’s removal in Florida school shooter case

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Attorneys for Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz asked for the judge in his murder case to remove herself on Friday, two days after she scolded them when they abruptly rested their case after calling only a fraction of their expected witnesses. The Broward Public Defender’s Office said in a motion that Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer held …

Defense suddenly rests case in Florida school shooter trial
2 years, 3 months ago

Defense suddenly rests case in Florida school shooter trial

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Attorneys for Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz suddenly and surprisingly rested their case Wednesday after calling only a fraction of their expected witnesses, leading to a shouting match after the judge accused them of a lack of professionalism. There were 11 days of defense testimony overall, the last two spotlighting experts about how his birth mother’s …

In a surprise, the defense rests early in the Parkland school shooting trial
2 years, 3 months ago

In a surprise, the defense rests early in the Parkland school shooting trial

NPR  

In a surprise, the defense rests early in the Parkland school shooting trial Enlarge this image toggle caption Rhona Wise/AFP via Getty Images Rhona Wise/AFP via Getty Images In Florida, defense attorneys for the gunman who killed 17 people at a Parkland high school surprised prosecutors and the judge today by abruptly resting their case. Dr. Kenneth Jones said, "I …

Testimony: Florida school shooter was intellectually slow
2 years, 4 months ago

Testimony: Florida school shooter was intellectually slow

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz as a toddler was intellectually and physically behind other children, which caused him to isolate himself and hit and bite to get what he wanted, a daycare administrator and former neighbor testified Tuesday at his penalty trial for mass murder. If a teacher was trying to work with him to get …

Parkland School Shooter Was Intellectually Slow And Violent As Child, Court Hears
2 years, 4 months ago

Parkland School Shooter Was Intellectually Slow And Violent As Child, Court Hears

Huff Post  

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz is seen Tuesday during the penalty phase of his trial in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. via Associated Press FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz as a toddler was intellectually and physically behind other children, which caused him to isolate himself and hit and bite to get what he wanted, a …

Florida school shooter’s birth mom abused cocaine, alcohol
2 years, 4 months ago

Florida school shooter’s birth mom abused cocaine, alcohol

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The birth mother of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz abused crack cocaine and alcohol during her pregnancy, his half-sister and another witness testified Monday -- a circumstance that his lead attorney said left him with “an irretrievably broken” brain and set him on the road to mass murder. Cruz’s attorneys began their defense Monday, hoping to …

Prosecutor recalls coldness, cruelty of Parkland gunman
2 years, 5 months ago

Prosecutor recalls coldness, cruelty of Parkland gunman

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The prosecutor seeking the death penalty for the gunman who massacred 17 people at a Parkland, Florida, high school detailed for jurors Monday how Nikolas Cruz coldly mowed down his victims, returning to some as they lay wounded to finish them off with a second volley. Some parents wept as prosecutor Mike Satz described in his …

Florida High School Shooter Nikolas Cruz's Penalty Trial Begins
2 years, 5 months ago

Florida High School Shooter Nikolas Cruz's Penalty Trial Begins

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The trial to determine whether the gunman who attacked a Parkland, Florida, high school is executed began Monday with a prosecutor describing how Nikolas Cruz mowed down his 17 victims, returning to some as they lay wounded to kill them with a second volley. Some parents wept as prosecutor Mike Satz described in …

Death penalty trial of Parkland high school shooter begins
2 years, 5 months ago

Death penalty trial of Parkland high school shooter begins

Al Jazeera  

The months-long US trial will decide whether Nikolas Cruz will be executed or sentenced to life without parole. Opening arguments have begun in the penalty phase of the trial of Nikolas Cruz, the man who killed 17 people at a Florida high school in 2018 – one of the deadliest school shootings in United States history. Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty …

Prosecutor tells jury of Parkland gunman’s coldness and cruelty
2 years, 5 months ago

Prosecutor tells jury of Parkland gunman’s coldness and cruelty

LA Times  

Family members arrive on the first day of the sentencing trial for the convicted Parkland school shooter at the Broward County Judicial Complex in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Monday. The prosecutor seeking the death penalty for the gunman who massacred 17 people at a Parkland, Fla., high school detailed for jurors Monday how Nikolas Cruz coldly mowed down his …

Judge won’t delay Florida school shooting sentencing trial
2 years, 5 months ago

Judge won’t delay Florida school shooting sentencing trial

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A Florida judge has refused to delay the sentencing trial of Nikolas Cruz in the 2018 shooting at a high school in which 17 people were killed. Cruz’s lawyers had argued that recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, unleashed “a wave of emotion” nationally that could bias the just-seated jury against him …

Jury is chosen to decide Florida school shooter’s sentence
2 years, 5 months ago

Jury is chosen to decide Florida school shooter’s sentence

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A jury of seven men and five women was tentatively chosen Tuesday for a penalty trial to decide whether Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz should be sentenced to death or get life in prison for the 2018 attack, capping a nearly three-month winnowing process that began with 1,800 candidates. The jury will decide whether Cruz, 23, …

School shooter’s jury selection enters final stretch
2 years, 6 months ago

School shooter’s jury selection enters final stretch

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The final phase of jury selection in the penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz began Wednesday with prosecutors and defense attorneys asking candidates about their job histories, opinions on law enforcement and racial minorities, whether they own guns and if they could handle viewing gruesome crime scene photos. The final 83 candidates remaining from …

Texas school shooting invades trial of Parkland murderer
2 years, 6 months ago

Texas school shooting invades trial of Parkland murderer

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The mass shooting at a Texas elementary school invaded the penalty trial of Florida’s campus killer Wednesday as lawyers argued over whether potential jurors should be questioned directly about the nation’s latest gun tragedy and a victim’s father was brought nearly to tears. Attorneys for Parkland, Florida, killer Nikolas Cruz clashed with his prosecutors, saying they …

Jury selection for Florida school killer enters 2nd phase
2 years, 7 months ago

Jury selection for Florida school killer enters 2nd phase

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Jury selection in the penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz entered its second phase Monday with the attorneys asking questions of potential jurors, with one candidate comparing it to being interviewed for “the toughest job of my life.” The attorneys asked the jurors about their views of the death penalty and knowledge of the …

Florida judge was assigned to school shooter case at random
2 years, 7 months ago

Florida judge was assigned to school shooter case at random

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer was assigned the case of a former Florida student who gunned down 17 people in 2018 despite never having overseen a death penalty trial or one with much publicity. And every decision Scherer makes is being scrutinized, at least partly, through the lens of how she was assigned and her inexperience — …

Florida school shooting judge reverses; confusion follows
2 years, 7 months ago

Florida school shooting judge reverses; confusion follows

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The judge overseeing the penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz reversed herself Wednesday and said she is not dismissing more than 200 potential jurors who survived a first round of screening earlier this month. In the latest confusing turn since jury selection began three weeks ago, Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer overturned her Monday decision …

Confusion reigns as school shooter’s jury selection moves on
2 years, 8 months ago

Confusion reigns as school shooter’s jury selection moves on

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Confusion reigned as jury selection in the death penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz concluded its second week with no immediate end in sight. Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer, presiding over her first death penalty case, united prosecutors and defense attorneys in protest over her plans for concluding the lengthy process of picking the panel …

Judge: Jury can tour school building where 17 were murdered
2 years, 8 months ago

Judge: Jury can tour school building where 17 were murdered

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The jury that will decide whether Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz gets a death sentence will tour the blood-stained, bullet-pocked building where he murdered 17 people four years ago, a judge has ruled. Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer rejected a defense argument that a jury tour of the three-story building at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is …

April 4 jury selection set for Florida school shooter case
2 years, 9 months ago

April 4 jury selection set for Florida school shooter case

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Jury selection in the penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz is on track to begin April 4, the judge said Friday during a status conference with the lawyers. Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer also set aside full days on March 30 and 31 to address any issues either side might have before the jury selection …

Victims of the 2018 Parkland, Florida, high school massacre
3 years, 2 months ago

Victims of the 2018 Parkland, Florida, high school massacre

Associated Press  

Nikolas Cruz pleaded guilty to murder on Wednesday in the 2018 shooting massacre that left 17 people dead at a high school in Parkland, Florida. GINA MONTALTO, 14 Gina was a member of the Stoneman Douglas winter color guard team and was described by one of her instructors as “the sweetest soul ever.” Her father, Tony Montalto, is president of …

Nikolas Cruz pleads guilty to 2018 Parkland school massacre
3 years, 2 months ago

Nikolas Cruz pleads guilty to 2018 Parkland school massacre

Al Jazeera  

Nikolas Cruz, a former student, has pleaded guilty to murder in the 2018 high school massacre in Parkland, Florida in the southern US, that left 17 dead. Survivors formed “March for Our Lives”, a gun safety advocacy for stronger background checks and a ban on the AR-15 type of assault-style rifle that Cruz used in the assault. Cruz killed the …

Nikolas Cruz pleads guilty to Parkland school shooting that left 17 dead
3 years, 2 months ago

Nikolas Cruz pleads guilty to Parkland school shooting that left 17 dead

LA Times  

The guilty plea by Nikolas Cruz, 23, does not guarantee that he will avoid a death sentence in the 2018 massacre of 17 people in Parkland, Fla. Nikolas Cruz pleaded guilty Wednesday to murdering 17 people during a rampage at his former high school in Parkland, Fla., leaving a jury to decide whether he will be executed for one of …

Attorney: Cruz to plead guilty to Parkland school massacre
3 years, 2 months ago

Attorney: Cruz to plead guilty to Parkland school massacre

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The gunman who killed 14 students and three staff members at a Parkland, Florida, high school will plead guilty to their murders, his attorneys said Friday, bringing some closure to a South Florida community more than three years after an attack that sparked a nationwide movement for gun control. Cruz attorney David Wheeler told Circuit Judge …

The gunman will plead guilty to the Parkland, Fla., high school shootings
3 years, 2 months ago

The gunman will plead guilty to the Parkland, Fla., high school shootings

NPR  

The gunman will plead guilty to the Parkland, Fla., high school shootings Enlarge this image toggle caption Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/ TNS/ Getty Images Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/ TNS/ Getty Images Nikolas Cruz will plead guilty next Wednesday to killing 14 students and three staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., his defense team says. The …

Attorneys for school shooter want pretrial hearings closed
3 years, 4 months ago

Attorneys for school shooter want pretrial hearings closed

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Attorneys for the suspect in a 2018 Florida high school massacre told a judge Tuesday that the news media and public should be barred from all pretrial hearings, saying Nikolas Cruz’s right to an impartial jury will be irrevocably harmed if certain evidence is revealed before jurors are seated. Chief assistant public defender David Wheeler told …

Video shows Florida massacre suspect attacking jail guard
3 years, 5 months ago

Video shows Florida massacre suspect attacking jail guard

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Accused Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz rushed at a jail guard and was briefly able to wrestle him to the ground during a 2018 altercation before he was subdued, according to a video shown in court. The Nov. 13, 2018, jail altercation is being tried separately from the first-degree murder case, and Wednesday’s hearing was to …

Florida high school shooting defendant wants hearings closed
3 years, 5 months ago

Florida high school shooting defendant wants hearings closed

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Attorneys for the man accused of killing 17 people at a Florida high school in 2018 want a judge to close all future hearings to the media and the public to ensure a fair trial. A motion filed Thursday by lawyers for Nikolas Cruz says news coverage of pretrial hearings could instill bias among prospective jurors …

3 years later, Parkland school shooting trial still in limbo
3 years, 10 months ago

3 years later, Parkland school shooting trial still in limbo

Associated Press  

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It’s been more than 1,000 days since a gunman with an AR-15 rifle burst into a Florida high school, killed 17 people and wounded 17 others. Our families have already paid the ultimate price.” Michael Schulman, the father of shooting victim Scott Beigel — a school cross-country coach and geography teacher hailed for protecting students — …

Florida school shooting case remains in limbo
4 years, 3 months ago

Florida school shooting case remains in limbo

Associated Press  

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The death penalty case against Nikolas Cruz in the 2018 massacre at a Florida high school remains in limbo. “All of that, unfortunately, is on hold.” Broward County State Attorney Michael Satz said his office is ready for trial but added that they must await the filing of various anticipated defense motions. Cruz, 21, is charged …

Judge: Florida school shooting trial off indefinitely
4 years, 6 months ago

Judge: Florida school shooting trial off indefinitely

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The death penalty trial of the man charged with killing 17 people at a Florida high school is off indefinitely because of restrictions related to the coronavirus outbreak, a judge said Monday. Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer said in a hearing held remotely that it’s not even clear when the Broward County courthouse will reopen to …

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