Free Republic

Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz has been sentenced to life in prison without parole after being spared the death penalty by three merciful jurors last month. Cruz, 24, was emotionless in court on Wednesday as the parents and siblings of his victims wept all around him. Many of those parents spoke today to blast the defense team who defended Cruz for their 'offensive' behavior in court and to beg the judge to put Cruz in general population. Some called for other inmates to 'exercise the judgement that the court can't' and kill Cruz in custody. Judge Elizabeth Scherer thanked the parents...

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...

"It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t have looked at this child a little more closely before transitioning him to Stoneman Douglas." Retired Cross Creek teacher Joe Carrier From Westglades, Cruz was transferred to Cross Creek School, a K-12 program with intensive programming for kids with emotional and behavioral disabilities. Retired Broward teacher Joe Carrier taught a woodworking class at Cross Creek while Cruz attended the school, and remembers Cruz as “a quiet kid” who kept to himself and appeared to be “mildly autistic.” “He was odd but never showed any sign of aggression,” Carrier said. Cruz never had fights with other...