On Thursday, local time, after more than four years of trial, the gunman in Parkland School in Florida avoided the death penalty. The jury suggested that he should be sentenced to life imprisonment and not be allowed to parole . This sentence shocked all the families of the victims.
Gunner Cruz
According to relevant US laws, the jury's recommendation is not a final judgment. Broward Circuit Court Judge Elizabeth Scherrell is still expected to announce the official judgment of the Gunner on November 1. However, under the Florida law, she cannot violate the jury’s advice on the life of the gunman.
Case Review
On Valentine's Day, February 14, 2018, a shooting occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Broward County, Florida, USA. The case caused 17 deaths and 14 injuries, with the victims including football coaches, sports instructors and young students.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced on March 16, 2022 that it would reach a settlement agreement with some victims and their families for the campus shooting, and the federal government would compensate these people a total of US$127.5 million.
Gunner
Cruz, 19 years old, had studied at the school.
Name: Nikolas Cruz (nikolas cruz)
Nationality: United States
Birthplace: Margate, Florida, adopted at the age of two
Graduation school: stoneman douglas high school
Height: 5 feet 7 inches (about 1 meter 7)
Weight: 120 pounds (about 54.5 kg)
family
adoptive mother: Linda Cruz (Lynda Cruz)
adoptive father: Roger Cruz (Roger Cruz)
younger brother: Zachary Cruz, no blood relationship,
background and motivation
shooting scene
Cruz has been suspected of using violence and equipment including guns to threaten others and public safety, and publicly intimidate; he once filmed a video of "I want to kill" uploading, showing off his weapons and equipment online; he is the white supreme militia organization "Republic of Florida" (Republic of Members of Florida have participated in shooting training camps initiated by the organization and other organizations. They have the AR-15 (the semi-automatic civilian type of the famous M-16 assault rifle) rifle that has "showed its power" in many vicious gun-related cases. The people around him have publicly talked about his violent tendencies and dangers on different occasions more than once. He was expelled from the school for fighting with his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend and forced psychological counseling for "uncontrolling emotions". Even the FBI (FBI) received reports from an acquaintance twice before the murder, saying that he "has motive for murder, intentional, and willing to provide relevant and disturbing information." One month after the
case trial, on March 14, a month after the tragedy, gunman Cruz appeared in court for trial. Florida prosecutors announced on March 13 that year that he was seeking the death penalty for Cruz, who killed 17 people. Florida Attorney General Michael Satz told the local court that prosecutors will seek death penalty for 19-year-old suspect Cruz. Cruz is charged with 34 counts, including 17 first-degree premeditated murder involving the deceased and 17 attempted murder involving the injured. Howard Finkelstein, a public defense lawyer for Cruz, said that the defendant had serious mental problems and would plead guilty if he was exempted from the death penalty.
Now the preliminary judgment of the court has been announced, which is basically consistent with the defendant's defense lawyer's expectations.
