GUILTY FL - 17 killed in Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, Parkland, 14 Feb 2018 *shooter Guilty, School officer NG* #5

Jun 22, 2022
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Opening statements in the sentencing trial for convicted Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz are now scheduled to begin July 6.
Judge Elizabeth Scherer set the date Wednesday as jury selection drew closer to a close.
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Week 10
Day 22: June 22, 2022
The judge said she hopes to begin phase three of the trial next week. This phase continues with in-depth, individual questioning.

June 22, 2022
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While lead prosecutor Mike Satz mostly asked straight-forward questions Wednesday about the panelists' backgrounds, assistant public defenders Nawal Bashimam and Tamara Curtis followed with more wide-ranging and open questions, their motivation not always obvious. About half the men raised their hands when Bashimam asked if any panelists play violent video games and most panelists said they have strong animosity toward people who torture animals — both something Cruz did in the years before the shooting.
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Jun 21, 2022
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At one point, prosecutors objected to what they deemed as a "stake-out" question from defense attorney Melisa McNeill.
"Let's talk about what would be important for you to know about information you would like to have in making a decision about whether or not another human being lives or dies," McNeill asked prospective jurors. "What matters to you?"
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A stake-out question, also known as a hypothetical question, essentially asks jurors to pre-commit to a way of voting before evidence is presented. Prosecutors worry it could sway the jury pool.
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The 12 panel jury who will be selected to assign Cruz's punishment will reportedly hear testimony of nearly 2,000 witnesses.
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Week 11​

Day 25: June 27, 2022

Court was not in session. It will be back in session at 9 a.m. Tuesday for the final jury selection.
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The 12 panel jury who will be selected to assign Cruz's punishment will reportedly hear testimony of nearly 2,000 witnesses.
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Week 11​

Day 25: June 27, 2022

Court was not in session. It will be back in session at 9 a.m. Tuesday for the final jury selection.
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Wow! 2,000 witnesses! o_O
 
The panel will have a task never faced by a U.S. jury - no American mass shooter who killed at least 17 people has ever made it to trial.


The debate over social media posts and swastikas became a key point of contention between prosecutors and the defense Tuesday, even leading to a shouting match among attorneys.
 
Updated: June 28, 2022, 6:13 PM

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — (AP) — A jury of seven men and five women was chosen Tuesday to decide whether Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz should be sentenced to death or get life in prison for his 2018 massacre, capping a nearly three-month selection process that began with 1,800 candidates.
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The jurors chosen were two banking executives and two tech workers, a probation officer, a human resources professional and a Walmart store stock supervisor. Also included are a librarian, a medical claims adjuster, a legal assistant and two retired executives from the insurance and health care fields.

In addition to the jurors, a group of between eight and 10 alternates was still being chosen.
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Once the final slate of 12 jurors and 10 alternates is set, Scherer said they will be asked to return July 18 for opening statements.
 
The final jury panel consists of seven men and five women. Ten additional jurors were selected as alternates, who will step in if any of the original 12 are unable to finish the trial. Of the 10 alternates, nine are women. They are diverse in race and ethnicity, age and economic background.

The jury selection process started three months ago with about 1,800 prospective panelists. It concluded Wednesday morning with the final selection of alternates. At one point, the defense said they did not accept the jury panel. They were able to strike one of the alternates.

Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer shot down the defense’s attempt to use a peremptory to eliminate a Black man who said during jury selection he did not believe in the existence of “white privilege” — the argument that white people get certain societal advantages because of their race. Scherer agreed with the prosecution’s argument that the defense’s reasoning showed racial bias.
 
July 2, 2022
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The jurors chosen this past week to decide whether Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz is executed will visit a bloodstained crime scene, view graphic photos and videos and listen to intense emotional testimony — an experience that they will have to manage entirely on their own.

Throughout what is expected to be a monthslong penalty trial, Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer will order jurors not to talk to anyone about what they have seen, heard or thought. Not their spouse. Not their best friend. Not their clergy or therapist.
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Once the trial ends, the 12 jurors and 10 alternates can unload to others — but they won’t receive any assistance from the judicial system. As is the case in most of the United States, neither Florida nor Broward County courts provide juries with post-trial counseling.

The only state to do so is Massachusetts, which has only offered the service since December. Since 2005, federal courts have offered assistance after about 20 trials annually, usually those involving the death penalty, child *advertiser censored* and child abuse cases, said federal court system spokesman Charles Hall.
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https://www.wptv.com/news/parkland-...al-slurs-child-*advertiser censored*-comments
https://www.wptv.com/news/parkland-...al-slurs-child-*advertiser censored*-comments

Nikolas Cruz's defense team seeks to exclude swastikas, racial slurs, child *advertiser censored* comments​

Nikolas Cruz's defense team seeks to exclude swastikas, racial slurs, child p o r n o g r a p h y comments​

Psychologist testifies that Cruz had strong desire to kill
Jul 06, 2022
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Attorneys are taking a closer look at what evidence the jury should see during the sentencing trial for the convicted Parkland school shooter.
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Central to the debate is Cruz’s use of swastikas, his social media posts and internet searches.

"This is somebody who absolutely 110% has no capacity or understanding for how to deal with negative affect, particularly anger," psychologist Dr. Michael Brannon said Wednesday.
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Brannon diagnosed Cruz with an anti-social personality disorder and was deliberate in his plan for the attack.

Defense attorneys argue that Cruz suffers from a developmental disorder associated with fetal alcohol exposure.
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JULY 6, 2022 / 1:04 PM / CBS MIAMI
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Leading up to the start of the trial are a number of motions before the court about what testimony and evidence will be admissible.

On Wednesday, well-known forensic psychologist Dr. Brannon was put on the stand. The prosecution had called on Brannon to analyze different statements that have been given, records, and online searches conducted by Cruz.
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Jul 07, 2022
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Pre-trial motions for the Parkland shooter's upcoming sentencing trial continued in court Thursday.
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It's unclear when the judge will make a ruling on the matter.

The court will not be back in session until Tuesday.

Opening statements will start on July 18.
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July 7, 2022
  • Ruling on graphic material: Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer, expressing concern for the victims and their families, said she will not display sensitive crime scene photos and videos on television monitors in the courtroom, nor will she allow them to be transmitted to a nearby room where dozens of local and national media outlets will monitor the proceedings. Pool representatives of the media will be able to review the evidence when court is in recess.
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Jul 12, 2022
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Pretrial motions continued Tuesday to determine exactly what evidence the jury will see during the trial.
Nikolas Cruz's defense team is making its case that certain key pieces of evidence should be eliminated from the trial. This includes a detailed psychology test that analyzed Cruz and his behaviors as a child.
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  • Pre-trial hearings over: Pre-trial hearings ended Wednesday, clearing the way for opening statements and testimony to start next week after more than two years of delays.
  • Close-ups: Defense lawyers and the media came to an agreement to limit close-ups of the defense table to reduce chances a lip-reader could determine what the confessed gunman says to his lawyers.
  • Looking ahead: Opening statements are set to begin Monday. The sentencing trial is expected to last into October.
 
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Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer scheduled the trial to start at 9 a.m., on Monday, July 18, in a courtroom in Fort Lauderdale.
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Scherer estimates the trial will run for four to five months.
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