Nikolas Cruz Jury Recommends Death Sentence for Parkland School Shooting

Nikolas Cruz, the gunman who murdered 17 individuals at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, will probably be sentenced to dying if the jury has its manner, as a result of they’ve simply really helpful that the decide impose the dying penalty.

A dying penalty verdict needed to be unanimous among the many 12 jurors … and it was in at the very least one of many fees. It’s as much as the decide to truly impose the dying penalty, and in Florida judges nearly at all times comply with the jury’s suggestion. The verdicts are nonetheless being learn on the time of this submit, however all it takes is one suggestion for the decide to impose the last word penalty.

The jury of seven males and 5 ladies mentioned the 23-year-old’s destiny Wednesday and got here again with their sentence Thursday morning in a Fort Lauderdale courthouse.

Cruz pled responsible final yr to 34 counts — 17 fees of homicide and 17 fees of tried homicide.

In the sentencing part, a number of witnesses took the stand to explain the ache and horror they endured on account of the bloodbath. There have been cellphone movies jurors noticed … displaying college students hiding in concern as gunshots rang out.

Attorneys for Cruz highlighted his psychological well being struggles, they usually referred to as witnesses who testified his sickness was triggered by his organic mom’s drug use whereas she was pregnant.

During his courtroom look, he went on a weird rant and begged the households of the victims to offer him a second likelihood … claiming he wished to be spared so he might assist others.

As you understand, Cruz opened hearth on college students and employees at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland in February of 2018.

It stays the deadliest highschool taking pictures in U.S. historical past.

In a separate case, Cruz additionally pled responsible to assault and battery fees for attacking a jail guard in 2018 after the entire thing was caught on digicam.