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Prosecutors of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz called for an investigation Friday after a juror said another panelist threatened her during the deliberations that ended with a life sentence for Cruz's murder of 17 people four years ago at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Prosecutor Carolyn McCann told Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer during a brief hearing that prosecutors are not trying to invalidate Thursday's jury vote and reported the threat only for safety reasons and so the Broward County Sheriff's Office can investigate. In their written motion asking for the hearing, prosecutors said the juror told them another juror...

The three jurors who voted against the death penalty for Parkland killer Nikolas Cruz did so based on “mitigating circumstances” from Cruz’s life. They made the wrong call, but their rationale is superior to the reason many will agree with the sentence: a blanket opposition to the death penalty. Public support for capital punishment has slid over the last 30 years, remaining a majority opinion but barely so. Those who oppose death as a punishment often have kind, even noble intentions. Yet their well-meaning beliefs do not translate into justice or the common good. The death penalty is consistent with...

Gina Montalto’s parents simply clutched hands and cried as it was announced Thursday that a Florida jury recommended the Parkland school shooter should not be condemned to death. Tony Montalto, Gina’s father and president of the advocacy group Stand with Parkland, called it “yet another gut punch for so many of us who devastatingly lost our loved ones on that tragic Valentine’s Day at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.” “Seventeen beautiful lives were cut short, by murder, and the monster that killed them gets to live to see another day,” Montalto said in a statement, echoing the sentiments of other...

LIVE Jury reaches decision in Nikolas Cruz sentencing trial: Live updates. 15 mins ago (Looks like NO death penalty. )

The sentencing trial of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz is being delayed as Hurricane Ian threatens to slam Florida. Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer postponed the trial — which was expected to continue through the rest of the week — until Monday. The state began making its rebuttal case on Tuesday and was expected to resume its arguments on Wednesday, Thursday and a half-day Friday. However the Broward County Courthouse where Cruz’s trial is underway will be closed at least on Wednesday and Thursday due to “the potential impact of Hurricane Ian,” the county clerk’s website states. The state is seeking...

Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz attacked a Broward County jail officer months after fatally shooting 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Raymond Beltran testified during Cruz's sentencing phase of his trial, describing what can be seen on the video showing Cruz pacing around before attacking Beltran. Beltran said Cruz was able to get the taser, but the officer took it back

Impact statement

A prospective juror for the sentencing of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz told the judge she wouldn’t have time for the civic duty — because she’s both married and has a “sugar daddy.” SNIP “Did you have a question?” she asks one of the prospective jurors, whom she identified as “Miss Bristol.” “This is a whole entire month,” the woman replies. “First of all let me clarify myself, July 2nd is my birthday, July 4th is my son, and the 18th is my other son.” “Don’t talk too fast, we have to be able to understand … so you said...

The federal government will pay a $127.5 million settlement over the Parkland, Fla. school massacre — after it admitted the FBI didn’t follow up on two tips that could have prevented the massacre. The legal deal announced Wednesday settles 40 lawsuits tied to the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, which remains the largest high school shooting in US history. The Department of Justice did not admit fault in the shootings, and the settlement “resolved all the cases” filed against the government by family members of the 16 shooting victims and all the survivors of the attack, a...

The death penalty case against Nikolas Cruz in the 2018 massacre at a Florida high school remains in limbo. At a brief hearing Tuesday, no decisions were made on a trial date amid continuing obstacles because of the coronavirus pandemic. Cruz's defense lawyers say they have almost no access to him in jail, nor do defense experts they insist must see him to build a case. "We're in a worldwide pandemic. It's just not safe to be doing that right now," said defense attorney Melisa McNeill in the hearing, held remotely. "All of that, unfortunately, is on hold." Broward County...

After the deadly Feb. 14, 2018, mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., national media focused largely on a handful of student activists, leaving it to victims’ parents to unravel why the slaughter happened. Andrew Pollack, whose daughter, Meadow, was one of the 17 killed, conducted his own investigation to uncover the roots of what he calls the most avoidable mass murder in American history. He and Max Eden are co-authors of “Why Meadow Died: The People and Policies that Created the Parkland Shooter and Endanger America’s Students.” This adapted excerpt, based on never-before-released educational records...

When staff at Westglades Middle School heard that Nikolas Cruz had committed the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS, some couldn’t believe it. The fact that he was a mass murderer wasn’t what surprised them, but rather the fact that he had attended that school. “How is that possible?” one Westglades educator recalled thinking. “We did our jobs. It took forever, but we got him [to the specialized school] where he needed to go. We couldn’t believe they ever let him into [Stoneman].” Westglades students and staff had never seen anyone like Nikolas Cruz. One student, Paige, recalled the time...

The suspect in last year's Florida high school massacre told officers moments after his capture he was hearing demons, a statement that could be used if his attorneys mount an insanity defense... In the body camera video released Friday, the unidentified Coral Springs officer wearing it asks the then 19-year-old suspect casually, "What's going on today, bro?" Cruz replies, "Demons, man." "Demons?" the officer asks, playing with a piece of string in his hands. "Voices," Cruz replies.

Judge Elizabeth Scherer said at a hearing on Thursday that she intends to set a definitive trial date soon for Nikolas Cruz. The 20-year-old allegedly opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High on Feb. 14, 2018, killing 17 people and wounding 17 others — a crime to which investigators say he confessed. "I'm asking both sides to take that into account. Pace yourselves," the judge said. "I just ask you to keep that in mind as a goal moving forward." Assistant State Attorney Jeff Marcus said prosecutors and defense attorneys are working as rapidly as possible to identify and interview...

The father of a student shot and killed during the Parkland school massacre has been appointed to the state Board of Education, Gov. Rick Scott announced Friday evening. For 52-year-old Andy Pollack, it is all about accountability. “That word has haunted me since my daughter was murdered,” Pollack, of Coral Springs, said Friday night. His daughter, Meadow, 18, a senior, was shot nine times during the Valentine’s Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Meadow’s body was found in a third-floor hallway. She was lying on top of the body of 14-year-old freshman Cara Loughran, as if protecting her....

Failures by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and school district cost children their lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. A gunman with an AR-15 fired the bullets, but a series of blunders, bad policies, sketchy training and poor leadership helped him succeed. Information reported over 10 months by the South Florida Sun Sentinel reveals 58 minutes of chaos on campus marked by no one taking charge, deputies dawdling, false information spreading, communications paralyzed and children stranded with nowhere to hide. To be sure, a number of teachers and police officers performed heroically. But an examination of the day’s events...

Students at Coral Glades High School in Coral Springs, Florida, were given a rather shocking assignment: to take a quiz about whether or not Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz "deserves to die." To make matters even worse? Coral Glades is only a 10 minute drive from Stoneman Douglas so this should hit close to home.Images of the quiz made its way around social media. Parkland survivor Cameron Kasky said the school board should be ashamed: This worksheet was given to students in @BrowardSchools. I cannot begin to express how pathetic I find this. Our schoolboard should add this...

Crime is an affliction that plagues all major cities. In the District, the past three years have seen an ebb and flow of violence ... But a close look at DC police crime stats reveals ... One veteran DC police officer is blowing the whistle on what he calls years of corruption and crime reclassification by the department. "If it's a burglary and someone enters the home, but nothing was taken they'll have us re-classify it as Unlawful Entry which brings the crime down from a felony to a misdemeanor ... Felonies are reported to the FBI – the Uniform...

Five months after killing 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, confessed shooter Nikolas Cruz registered to vote from Broward County Jail. Andrew Pollack, the father of Meadow Pollack, one of the 14 students Cruz confessed to murdering on his Feb. 14 rampage, Tweeted his fury Saturday morning, referring to Cruz by his Broward County court case number. I'm sick to my stomach. 18-1958 murdered 17 students & staff, including my daughter Meadow. Yet in July, Broward Sheriff @ScottJIsrael let people into the jail to get him & other animals registered to vote.The Despicable Democrats have no...

Andrew Pollack said he’s sick to his stomach because Parkland school shooter, Nikolas Cruz is registered to vote. His beautiful daughter, Meadow Pollack would have been able to vote in this midterm election if she were still alive, said Andrew Pollack. Sheriff Israel allowed people into the jail this summer to register Nikolas Cruz and other animals to vote. Wonderful. POLLACK: I’m sick to my stomach. 18-1958 murdered 17 students & staff, including my daughter Meadow. Yet in July, Broward Sheriff @ScottJIsrael let people into the jail to get him & other animals registered to vote.The Despicable Democrats have no...